Monthly Current Affairs for
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Highlights: 

• According to the recent Ease of Doing Business report from the World Bank Indian city Ludhiana tops the list among 17 cities.
• Among 17 cities ranked by the report, Chennai ranks a dismal 15.
• Only Kochi and Kolkata are further behind.
• Chennai has performed well only on two parameters – trading across borders, where it is ranked second, and dealing with construction permits, where the city comes third.
• Under the ‘ease of starting a business’ category, the city is ranked 10th .
• The World Bank report has defined this as “the bureaucratic and legal hurdles an entrepreneur must overcome to incorporate and register a new firm”.
• It also examines the time taken, procedures and costs involved to start a commercial or industrial firm with up to 50 employees.
• On an average, it takes 34 days and nearly 13 procedures to start a business in Chennai; the all-India average is 26 days and about 12.9 procedures.
• Chennai also ranks the lowest among all the Indian cities under the metric ‘Paying Taxes’.
• While there are 68 tax payments to be made in a year, it takes up to 292 hours a year to file the papers.
• In doing business (in Chennai), there are definitely challenges.
• In Tamil Nadu, there are political challenges as well. Our members have often brought up the issue of the State electricity board as well; it has a poor record when it comes to making payments.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana best states to doing business – 01 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• According to the rankings for states released by the government , Andhra Pradesh and Telangana emerged as joint toppers in the ease of doing business.
• Both states are topped  among  the 2016 all-India State/Union Territory-
• The state Gujarat lost its top slot and was placed third.
• The two states emerged with a score of 98.78 % on the 340 parameters that states were ranked on.
• The rankings, announced by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
• The rankings are on the basis of a 340-point business reform action plan and their implementation by the States.
• This covers the period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
• According to the World Bank, four of the seven states with the lowest income levels in India have found a place in the top ten ranks, while all the seven such states had an implementation rate of over 75 %.
• These low-income states included Chhattisgarh (97.32 % implementation rate regarding the 340 reform measures, and fourth rank), Madhya Pradesh (97.01 % and fifth), Jharkhand (96.57 % and seventh), Rajasthan (96.43 % and eighth), Odisha (92.73 and 11th), Uttar Pradesh (84.52 % and 14th), Bihar (75.82 % and 16th rank).
• The Bank,along with the Centre’s Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) was involved in the process of reviewing the evidence submitted by states/UTs regarding implementation of reforms for the rankings.
• India’s rank in the recently released global Doing Business rankings was a lowly 130th, just one rank up from the previous year’s ‘revised’ ranking of 131st.
• Prime Minister Modi is keen to ensure that India finds a place in the top 50 countries within a year or two.
• Large nations like Brazil and Russia have also moved from a focus at the Central level to a sub-national level, like India.
• Brazil and Russia have requested more exchanges with India to learn about the best practices, he added.
• The national implementation average stands at 48.93 %, significantly higher than last year’s national average of 32 %.
• The top ten ranks in 2016 included :-
• Andhra Pradesh & Telengana (98.78 % each implementation rate), followed by Gujarat (98.21 %), Chhattisgarh (97.32 %), Madhya Pradesh (97.01%), Haryana (96.95 %), Jharkhand (96.57 %), Rajasthan (96.43 %), Uttarakhand (96.13 %t) and Maharashtra (92.86 %).
• At least 32 States and Union Territories submitted evidence of implementation of 7,124 reforms, a DIPP statement said.
• These submissions were reviewed by the World Bank team and validated by the DIPP.

Sushil Chandra appointed as new CBDT chairman – 01 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Senior Indian Revenue Service officer Sushil Chandra has taken over as chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• Incumbent Chairperson Rani Singh Nair has retired from service after being at the top post for three months, after she took over on August 1.
• It was took the dession by the policy-making body for the Income Tax department.
• Sushil  Chandra is a 1980-batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre).
• He is at present working in the board as Member (Investigation).
• The officer is credited with getting the I-T department success under the one-time black money window, also known as the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS), that ended on September 30 and as per official figures, 64,275 declarants disclosed Rs 65,250 crore of hidden income under it.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister had early this month approved the name of Chandra as the CBDT Chairman to replace Nair.
•  An IIT graduate, Chandra will be in office till May next year.
• CBDT has six members apart from the chairman, and is responsible for framing policy and administrative issues related to direct taxes and the Income Tax department

What is CBDT ?

• The Central Board of Direct Taxes is a statutory authority functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
• The officials of the Board in their ex-officio capacity also function as a Division of the Ministry dealing with matters relating to levy and collection of direct taxes.The Central Board of Revenue as the apex body of the Department, charged with the administration of taxes, came into existence as a result of the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1924. Initially the Board was in charge of both direct and indirect taxes.
• However, when the administration of taxes became too unwieldy for one Board to handle, the Board was split up into two, namely the Central Board of Direct Taxes and Central Board of Excise and Customs with effect from 1.1.1964.
• This bifurcation was brought about by constitution of two Boards u/s 3 of the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.

Composition and Functions of CBDT:

The Central Board of Direct Taxes consists of a Chairman and following six Members: –
Chairman
Member (Income-tax)
Member (Legislation & Computerisation)
Member (Personnel & Vigilance)
Member (Investigation)
Member (Revenue)
Member (Audit & Judicial)

First meeting of National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) held in New Delhi – 01 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The first meeting of National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) was held in New Delhi to discuss ways for developing roadmap for implementation of WTOs trade facilitation agreement.
• It was headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha and was attended by all 24 members along with secretaries of various ministries and departments like Home, Shipping, Civil Aviation.

What is NCTF ?

• The NCTF is a mandatory requirement under the WTOs Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
• It is a national level body to facilitate domestic co-ordination and implementation of TFA provisions.
• It aims to develop the pan-India road map for trade facilitation.
• It will have three tier structure with main national committee for monitoring implementation of TFA.

What is TFA?

• TFA is the WTO’s first-ever multilateral accord that contains provisions for expediting the movement, clearance and release of goods, including goods in transit.
• It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues.

MS Dhoni Still No 1 Indian Athlete in Forbes Fab 40 List – 01 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to the latest Forbes Fab 40 2016 list of the biggest sports brands in the world, M.S Dhoni is slated at No 10th spot in the top 10 athletes.
• Now, he remains the most valued Indian athlete in 2016.
• Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team in limited-overs formats.
• In 2011, Time magazine included Dhoni in its annual Time 100 list as one of the “Most Influential People in the World.
• In 2012,SportsPro rated Dhoni as the sixteenth most marketable athlete in the world.
• In June 2015, Forbes ranked Dhoni at 23rd in the list of highest paid athletes in the world, estimating his earnings at US$31 million.
• Forbes Fab 40 lists out top 10 Sports Brands, Events, Athletes and Teams.
• According to the magazine, an athletes brand value is their earnings (excluding salary from bonus from their sport and their investment income), minus the average income of the top 10 athletes in the same sport.Forbes Fab 40 List
• The list is topped by tennis legend and 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer.
• With a brand value of $36 million, Federer gained two notches from third last year, while Woods dropped four spots to stand fifth on the latest edition of the list.
• Among other top athletes on the list is Argentine football star Lionel Messi, ranked eighth.

Kerala becomes 3rd Open Defecation Free state in India – 01 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The South Indian state Kerala has become the third Open Defecation Free state in India after Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) (Gramin).
• The announcement in this regard was made by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer in New Delhi on the occasion foundation day of Kerala (1 November).
• Now, Kerala becomes first high density populated state in the country to achieve Open Defecation Free status.
• All 14 districts, 152 blocks, 940 Gram Panchayats and 2117 villages of the State have been declared free from open defecation.
• Freedom from open defecation has been proven to lead to significant health benefits in terms of incidences of water-borne diseases, especially in children, and provide safety and dignity for all, especially women and senior citizens.

What is Swachh Bharat Mission ?

• The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched in October 2014 to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation.
• The mission aims to achieve Swachh Bharat or make India clean by 2019, as a fitting tribute to the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• The SBM consists of two sub-missions Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), implemented in rural areas, and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), implemented in urban areas.
• SBM-G seeks to eliminate open defecation in rural areas by 2019 through improving access to sanitation by ensuring the use of toilets, besides their construction.
• It also seeks to generate awareness to motivate communities to adopt sustainable sanitation practices, and encourage the use of appropriate technologies for sanitation.

Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index of NITI Aayog: Maharashtra tops in 2016 – 02 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Maharashtra has been ranked first state in the country in 2016 Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index.
• The first-ever index based on initiatives taken by the states in implementing farm sector reforms was issued by the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog.
• The index ranks states based on their initiatives taken in implementing provision of seven farm sector reforms.
• These reforms have been proposed under model APMC Act, joining eNAM initiative, special treatment to fruits and vegetables for marketing and level of taxes in mandis.
• States are ranked based on score on the scale ranging from 0 to 100.
• The minimum score of 0 implies no reforms at all and score of 100 means state is friendliest to farmers. The index identifies three major parameters.
• They are (i) reforms in agricultural marketing, (ii) land lease and (iii) forestry on private land.
• The index aims at helping states identify and address problems in farm sector, which suffers from low growth, low incomes and agrarian distress to double farm income.
• It also seeks to bring reform in agriculture sector by ease of doing agribusiness as well as provide opportunities for farmers to benefit from modern trade and commerce.
• The various indicators of index showcases the levels of competitiveness, efficiency and transparency in agriculture markets of the states.
• Top 5 States are Maharashtra (score 81.7), Gujarat (71.5), Rajasthan (70), Madhya Pradesh (69.5) and Haryana (63.3).
• Maharashtra has implemented most of the marketing reforms and offers the best environment for doing agribusiness among all states and UTs.
• Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu performed poorly and not even have reached the halfway score mark of 50.
• Some states/UTs that have not adopted APMC Act or revoked it are not included in the ranking.
• They include Bihar, Kerala, Manipur, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar.

RBI to formulate one-time package for debt-trapped construction sector – 02 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India’s apex financial regulator Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is formulating a one-time package for the construction sector.
• This is aimed at improving cash flow for debt trapped construction sector.
• The announcement of the package will be made soon.
• The package will likely include relaxation in debt payment period.
• Impact on banks will be minimal from construction package and it will also include relaxation in margin money rules.
• The Cabinet recently approved an array of measures to help quickly resolve disputes, pump in liquidity and deal with stressed assets.
• The Cabinet allowed contractors to move to the new speedier arbitration process, approved release of 75 % of the amount in the dispute against bank guarantee and provided for a conciliation board comprising of independent domain experts in new contracts.
• The construction sector contributes 8 % of the GDP and provides employment to some 40 million people in the country.

South Korean President replaces PM Choi Soon-Sil for corruption – 02 Nov 16

Highlights:

• South Korean President Park Geun-Hye replaced her Prime Minister and Finance Minister.
• She scrambled to contain a damaging scandal over a close friend accused of meddling in state affairs.
• South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye  offers a public apology at the presidential blue house on October 25, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea.
• Ms. Park has been engulfed in a political storm over allegations that she allowed long-time friend Choi Soon-Sil, who holds no political position, to vet her speeches and have a voice in policy decisions – including Cabinet appointments.
• Ms. Choi is currently being detained and questioned by prosecutors over her links to Ms. Park and other allegations of influence-peddling and embezzlement.
• A formal request had been made to a local court to issue an arrest warrant for Ms. Choi on charges of fraud and abuse of power.
• The fraud relates to allegations that Ms. Choi – who is already in emergency detention – used her friendship with Ms. Park to strongarm companies like Samsung into donating large sums to non-profit foundations Ms. Choi set up and used for her personal gain.
• The new Premier was named as Kim Byong-Joon, a former top aide to the late liberal President Roh Moo-Hyun.
• The Prime Minister is a largely symbolic post in South Korea, where power is firmly concentrated in the presidency.
• It is the only Cabinet post requiring parliamentary approval. Opposition parties said the reshuffle was a smokescreen and suggested they would block Mr. Kim’s nomination.
• The 60-year-old Ms. Choi as a Rasputin-like figure, who wielded an unhealthy influence over Ms. Park that continued after her presidential election victory in December 2012.
• She interfered in government policy and was given access to classified documents have exposed Ms. Park to public anger and ridicule and, with just over a year left in office, seen her approval ratings plunge into the single digits.
• Ms. Choi is the daughter of late religious leader Choi Tae-Min.
• She was married six times and had multiple pseudonyms and set up his own cult-like group known as the Church of Eternal Life.
• The scandal has triggered a media frenzy with fresh reports — many of them highly speculative and unsubstantiated — emerging every day, tying Ms. Choi and some of her extended family members to more alleged malpractices.
• South Korean prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for a longtime friend of President Park Geun-hye over allegations of influence-peddling and other activities that have triggered a huge political scandal that threatens Park’s leadership.

Union health ministry sets up committee to review fire safety guidelines for hospitals – 02 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Union health ministry has set up a committee to review fire safety guidelines for hospitals.
• The main purpose is to avoid fire accidents in hospitals.
•  The committee is comprising with representations from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) and Safdarjung hospital.
• It will review the existing norms, the gaps in its implementation as well as the need for smoke management in hospitals.
• The committee has been asked to submit its report within a fortnight.
• The move comes in the wake of a major fire that broke out at Sum private hospital in Odisha recently.
• The committee also has representation from various organisations involved in hospital construction. The committee has been asked to particularly look at fire escape routes mainly for intensive care units and operation theatres.
• The fire claimed lives of over 20 patients and injured many others.
• The blaze was suspected to have been triggered by an electric short circuit in the dialysis ward on the first floor of the private hospital which spread to the nearby ICU.

The Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) held in New Delhi – 02 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) being held in New Delhi.
• About 2,000 foreign delegates, including ministers from 54 Asia Pacific countries are arriving to take part in the conference.
• The conference will adopt a Delhi declaration that will set goals and strategies for a 15-year roadmap for disaster risk reduction in Asia Pacific.
• Representatives of United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), World Bank, Asian Development Bank and mayors from all parts of Asia Pacific countries also there for the three-day meet.
• Over 4,000 delegates in all, including those from non-governmental organizations.
• The 3rd East Asia Summit involving 18 member countries has also been scheduled as part of the AMCDRR to draft a common goal for disaster mitigation in the Asia Pacific countries.
• The state Bihar is feted as a success story becoming the first state in India to adopt a 15-year roadmap for disaster risk reduction, implementing the Sendai framework for DRR which was adopted at the 3rd UN World Conference on DRR 2015 in Sendai, Japan.
• Bihar has set an ambitious target of cutting down loss of human lives in natural disasters by 75% within 2030, an example likely to be incorporated by others.
• The Delhi declaration of the AMCDRR may also adopt strategies on setting targets for bringing down loss of human lives due to natural disasters.
• India has been taking the lead in the Asia Pacific region in DRR activities.
• The UN has designated minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju as the Disaster Risk Reduction Champion for Asia region for initiatives taken by India in disaster mitigation.
• India has developed a scientific tool based on a UN model that uses satellite imageries and on-ground assessments to measure direct and indirect damage besides the opportunity cost lost due to disasters.
• This will help the government in determining a more accurate and scientifically developed assessment of relief and reconstruction packages for disaster-hit regions and model developmental policies accordingly.
• The government has also engaged the ministry of statistics and programme implementation to collect and publish pre-disaster assessment data as part of the National Sample Survey and project predictable economic losses in disaster prone areas.
• The scientific tool, called the Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA), has been developed by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) under the Union home ministry and is ready for trials as pilot project in calamity-hit region.
• It has been developed for Indian conditions on the lines of a similar tool being used by the UNISDR in Latin American countries.
• Globally, climate change has resulted in economic losses of around $300 billion annually, according to UNISDR’s global assessment report released in 2015.
• The UNISDR has also estimated India’s annual economic losses to around $10 billion on account of disasters.

Sri Lankan music legend Pandit Amaradeva passes away – 03 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• Legendary Sri Lankan singer and composer Pandit Amaradeva died after an heart attack at the age of 88.
• He was a recipient of global honours, including India’s Padma Shri, his music blended Indian classical ragas with Lankan folk tunes for his contribution to music.
• Pandit Amaradeva was considered to be the grand old man of Sri Lankan music.
• Pandit Amaradeva, born Wannakuwatta Waduge Don Albert Perera.
• He was rushed to Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital here after suddenly falling ill.
• The music composer drew inspiration from classical Indian ragas as well as Sri Lanka’s own rich traditions of folk music and went on to create a music that is quintessentially Sri Lankan. His contribution to the development of Sinhala music is considered unmatched.
• The musician has been the recipient of several awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2001), Padma Shri (2002) and Sri Lankan President’s Award of Kala Keerthi (1986) and Deshamanya Award (1998).

Maharashtra becomes first state to launch cyber police stations in all districts – 03 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Maharashtra become the first state in the country to have a cyber-police station in each district to take on cyber criminals.
• The state government is converting 42 state-of-the-art cyber- crime labs into cyber police stations simultaneously.
• These cyber police stations will also be set up at police commissionerate and Range IG offices.
• Any offence related to cyber-crime will be registered in these police stations at district level. Besides, additional cyber police stations will also be set up in some cities.
• The cyber-crime wing of Maharashtra government had proposed to set up 51 cyber-crime labs across the state take on cyber criminals.
• These included 34 labs at the district level, 7 labs at Inspector General’s offices, 9 labs at Commissioner of Police offices and 1 lab at the state police headquarters.
• Earlier in August 2016, state government had inaugurated 34 well equipped cyber labs in all districts.
• Cyber-crime in Maharashtra has risen by a whopping 142.1%.
• Even cyber-crime cases in tier-II cities and also in rural areas also have increased in Maharashtra.
• For the normal local police stations, tackling cyber-crimes is a daunting task owing to lack technical knowledge and of proper training.
• However, the cyber labs have trained manpower and modern equipment to deal with the new age crimes in the cyber world.

International Conference on Decarbonisation of Indian Railways held in New Delhi – 03 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu has inaugurated the International Conference on Decarbonisation of Indian Railways – Mission Electrification in New Delhi on November 3, 2016.
• It was organised by Institution of Railways Electrical Engineer (IREE) in partnership with ASSOCHAM India.
• Suresh Prabhu launched a mobile app ‘RAIL SAVER’ to reduce energy consumption by 15 – 20%.
• It has been decided to manufacture electric locos from DLW, Varanasi
• New energy efficient Rolling Stock has been initiated
• It have introduced HOG system wherein the lighting, air-conditioning and other electrical loads of passenger coaches would be fed directly from electric power drawn by locomotive from grid.
• Railways set target of 100% de-carbonisation, 90% electrification in next 5 yrs
• The Indian Railways has set a target to achieve 100 per cent de-carbonisation, with 90 per cent electrification in next five years.
• With the investment of Rs 25,000 crore, electrification of nearly 25,000 kilometers will generate more employment for youth.
• This move also promote local manufacturer and vendor to support the Make in India endeavor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The electrification will reduce the fuel bill by Rs 10,000 crores annually as against the business as usual approach.
• The Conference aims at bringing various stakeholders on a common platform for exchange of ideas and to deliberate on implementable technological solutions and financing options to significantly increase pace of electrification and achieve the target for setting up of renewable energy installations with total capacity of 1000 MW by 2020.
• The Conference also projected Indian Railways as an attractive investment destination considering its plans for huge investment in next 5 years towards modernization of its electrified network and use of renewable energy.
• The Conference shall cover aspects relating to policy, technological modernization, mechanization, innovations and financing models for railway electrification and de-carbonization.
• National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC), in its report, has identified electrification of railway tracks as a means to reduce fuel consumption.
• The report has recommended for taking up electrification on priority through systematically tackling the bottlenecks in progress of electrification projects.
• It has also suggested that electrification should be viewed as a means of making rail transport independent of imported fossil energy, while also provide a choice in sourcing energy.
• Indian Railways(reporting mark IR) is an Indian state-owned enterprise.
• It is one of the world’s largest railway networks comprising 115,000 km (71,000 mi) of track over a route of 67,312 km (41,826 mi) and 7,112 stations.
• Indian Railways is the world’s seventh largest commercial or utility employer, by number of employees, with over 1.376 million employees as of last published figures in 2013.
• Indian Railways is looking forward to make Railways greener by electrifying another 24000 km of Rail Tracks to the existing 28000 km in the next few years.
• The biggest user of energy Indian Railways consumes about 18 billion units of electricity and about 2.4 billion liters of fuel oil which is more than 2% of country’s energy consumption.Indian Railways
• Energy demand of Indian Railways is expected to triple by 2030 from current levels to 49 billion units of electricity. Decarbonising the Railways will help achieve the commitment made by India under Paris agreement to reduce its Green House Gas emissions by 33-35% by 2030 from the 2005 levels.
• The Railways will change significantly with the initiatives to produce greener energy & by electrifying the railways substantially. Consumption of imported oil will come down with electrification, thereby reducing burden on the exchequer.
• The Increase in the pace of electrification will reduce its fuel bill by Rs. 10000 Crore annually as against the business as usual approach.
• Indian Railways has embarked upon Mission Decarbonisation and Mission Electrification with an aim to reduce dependence on imported fuel and rationalize the cost of energy for Railways.

Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards presents by PM Narendra Modi – 03 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards function is being held in New Delhi.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi  to be presents the Ram Nath Goenka Awards.
• He will give away awards across 28 categories for exceptional work in print, broadcast and online journalism in English, Hindi and regional languages.
• The RNG Awards, the biggest annual event in the Indian media calendar.
• It was instituted by the Ramnath Goenka Foundation in 2005 to celebrate the legacy of the founder of The Indian Express Group.
• Its categories cover investigative, political and sports journalism, non-fiction writing, feature writing, sports and entertainment, commentary and work done in regional languages.
• With categories such as Environmental Reporting, Uncovering India Invisible, Investigative Reporting, Interpretative writing, the awards applaud quality reportage and incisive opinion.
• The  37 winners showcase excellence in journalism, ask questions, go below the surface for answers and showcase the complexities in India’s diversity.

The list of Winners:

• Prakash Rakesh Kardaley Memorial Award for Civic Journalism:
• Christin Mathew Philip (The Times of India)
• Uncovering India Invisible
• Print | Ashwaq Masoodi (Mint)
• Broadcast | Sarada Lahangir (Kalinga TV)
• Hindi
• Print | Santosh Kumar (India Today)
• Broadcast | Sanjay Nandan (ABP news), Syeda Afifa Khatoon (NEWS24)
• Regional Languages
• Print | Firos Khan M (Madhyamam Daily), Nileena Atholi (Mathrubhumi)
• Broadcast | Pramod Shastri G (TV9)
• Sports Journalism
• Print | Devendra Pandey (The Indian Express)
• Broadcast | Sanjeeb Mukherjea (CNN-IBN)
• Reporting from J&K and the Northeast
• Print | Esha Roy (The Indian Express) and Maddipatla Rajshekhar (Scroll.in)
• Broadcast| Shubhajit Sengupta (CNN_IBN)
• Environmental reporting
• Print | Pritha Chatterjee, Aniruddha Ghishal (The Indian Express)
• Broadcast | Sushil Chandra Bahuguna (NDTV India)
• Business and Economic Journalism
• Print | Kushboo Narayan (The Indian Express) and Rajeev Dubey (Business Today)
• Broadcast | Archana Shukla (CNBC TV18)
• Foreign Correspondent covering India
• Print | Victor John Mallet (Financial Times)
• Investigative reporting
• Print | Maneesha Paney, Sandeep Pai (Newslaundry)
• Broadcast | Ganesh Suratchand Thakur (ABP news)
• On-the-spot reporting
• Print | Nayantara Narayan (Scroll.in)
• Broadcast | Aamir Rafiq Peerzada, Rakesh Solanky (NDTV)
• Feature writing | Shamik Bag (Mint), Sreedevi TV (Malayala Manorama)
• Reporting on Politics and Government
• Print | Ashutosh Bhardwaj (The Indian Express)
• Broadcast | Halimabi Abdul Kureshi (IBN Lokmat)
• Photo Journalism
• Burhan Kinu (Hindustan Times)
• Commentry and interpretative writing:
• Anna MM Vetticad (BLink), Pramit Bhattacharya (Mint)
• Books:
• Non-fiction | Author: Akshaya Mukul
• Sanjiv Sinha Memorial Award for Excellence in Reporting:
• Aditi Vatsa (The Indian Express)
• Priya Chandrashekar Memorial Award for Excellence in Editing:
• Saikat Kumar Bose (The Indian Express)
• Indian Cine Actress Rekha to be awarded DIFF Lifetime Achievement Award – 03 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Veteran Bollywood actress Rekha will be honoured by the upcoming Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
• She will be honoured for her 40-year career contribution and participation in more than 180 films.
• The 2016 DIFF will commence on 7 December 2016 and will conclude on 14 December 2016.
• Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is an annual film festival held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was started in year 2004.
• It is a not-for-profit cultural event, presented and organised by Dubai Entertainment & Media Organization.

Brief History:

• Rekha  was born as Bhanu Rekha Ganesan on 10 October 1954 in Chennai formerly known as Madras.
• She is known for her versatility and is acknowledged as one of the finest actresses in Hindi cinema.
• She had started her film career in 1966 as a child actress in the Telugu film Rangula Ratnam.
• Her film debut as a lead was in Sawan Bhadon (1970).
• Since then she has acted in more than 180 films in a career spanning over 40 years.
• She has won 3 Filmfare Awards, 2 for Best Actress and 1 for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in Khubsoorat (1980), Khoon Bhari Maang (1988) and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), respectively.
• She has won National Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of a classical courtesan in film Umrao Jaan (1981).
• She was given Padma Shri  Award in 2010.

U.S.A space agency NASA unveiled the newly built james-webb-telescope – 03 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Recently, U.S.A space agency NASA  unveiled  the newly built webb-telescope.
• The name of the newly built telescope by U.S. space agency NASA  James Webb Space Telescope.
• It will be the successor of its famous Hubble Telescope and is 100 times powerful.
• The newly built telescope will be the successor for NASA’s iconic Hubble Space Telescope that has been in service for last 26 years and has made innumerable discoveries since.
• The Webb telescope’s infrared cameras are so sensitive that it needs to be shielded from the rays of the Sun.
• However, development of James Webb Space Telescope has been a joint project of the NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

Bindeshwar Pathak chosen as the Brand Ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission (SRM) – 04 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Bindeshwar Pathak  was chosen as the Brand Ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission (SRM).
• He was felicitated by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
• Bindeshwar Pathak is the founder of Sulabh International.
• Sulabh International has been assigned to clean some important railway stations across the country as part of the mission.
• As a pilot project, Sulabh has started cleaning and maintenance of five important railway stations from September 2016.
• These railway stations are Gorakhpur, Old Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Gwalior.

Chhattisgarh state became the first in the country to unveil the ‘Saur Sujala Yojana’ – 04 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Chhattisgarh became the first state in India to unveil the ‘Saur Sujala Yojana’ .
• Under  the Yojana, farmers will be provided with subsidized solar-powered irrigation pumps.
• The ambitious ‘Saur Sujala Yojana’ (SSY)  was unveiled formally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of state’s 16th Formation Day.
• Priority will be given to farmers living in those areas where electricity is not available.

International Conference on Climate Change, Water, Agriculture and Food Security (ICCCWAFS-2016) held in Hyderabad – 04 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The International Conference on Climate Change, Water, Agriculture and Food Security (ICCCWAFS-2016) started from 2 November 2016 in Hyderabad.
• It was inaugurated by Nils Ragnar Kamsvag, Ambassador of Norway, who gave his inaugural address.
• Climate change, impacts and adaptation, sustainable intensification of agriculture systems, water resource management, approaches to address food security and promoting bio-economy- are some of the themes that are expected to be debated at the conference.
• Noted professors, agricultural scientists and environmentalists will also present over 70 technical papers on various related issues.

1. Ramadorai resigned from the chairman of NSDA and NSDC – 04 Nov 16

Highlights:

• S. Ramadorai, the Tata Group veteran who resigned as the chairman of the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
• Tata Group veteran S. Ramadorai’s resignation as the chairman of the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) sparked speculations that he might be headed back to the Tata Group, India’s largest conglomerate.
• His resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rohit Nandan, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, was appointed interim head of the NSDA.
• Tata Group is going through crisis after its Chairman Cyrus P. Mistry was in removed from the post in an almost shocking manner.

GST Council meeting held in New Delhi – 04 Nov 16

Highlights:

• A 4-tier GST tax structure was decided upon at the first day of the two-day GST Council meeting on 3 November 2016.
• The minimum and maximum GST rates are 5% and 28% respectively.
• A 4-tier GST tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28%, with lower rates for essential items and the highest for luxury and de-merits goods that would also attract an additional cess.
• The lowest rate of 5% would be for common use items while there would be two standard rates of 12 and 18% under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime targeted to be rolled out from 1 April 2017.
• The highest tax slab of 28% will be applicable to items which are currently taxed at 30-31% (excise duty plus VAT).
• With a view to keeping inflation under check, essential items including food, which presently constitute roughly half of the consumer inflation basket, will be taxed at zero rate.

Sarabjit Singh Marwah became the first Sikh to be appointed to the Canadian Senate (Upper House) – 04 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Former Scotiabank Vice Chairman Sarabjit Singh Marwah became the first Sikh to be appointed to the Canadian Senate (Upper House)
• TheToronto-based Marwah retired as from Scotiabank in 2014.
• He was among six people from Ontario who were appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on 2 November 2016.
• Marwah is an alumnus of Delhi’s St Stephen’s College and the Delhi School of Economics.
• He also holds an MBA degree from the University of California in Los Angeles.
• He joined two other turbaned Sikhs – Defence Minister Harjeet Sajjan and Science Minister Navdeep Bains, in the Canadian parliament.
• While Marwah will be the only Indian-origin member of the Senate (Upper House), there are over 20 MPs of Indian origin the Canadian House of Commons (Lower House).

Central Government implemented Food Security Act – 05 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The National Food Security Act (NFSA) has been implemented across the country.
• It will envisage supply of subsidised foodgrains.
• Kerala and Tamil Nadu have also rolled out the NFSA from November.
• The Act has been implemented in all the States and Union Territories.
• As a result, 81.34 crore persons will get wheat at Rs. 2 per kg and rice at Rs. 3 per kg.
• Presently, only 11 States had been implementing the NFSA when the NDA came to power.
• NFSA being an important initiative for ensuring food security, we actively pursued it and today I am happy to share that it’s being implemented in all the States and Union Territories.
• At the current coverage, the monthly allocation of foodgrains to States and UTs under the Act is about 45.5 lakh tonnes, with a subsidy implication of about Rs. 11,726 crore per month or about Rs.1,40,700 crore per year.
• The Centre would now focus on further reforms in the public distribution system.

Switzerland appoints Ranveer Singh as brand ambassador – 05 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has been now named the first Indian ambassador for Switzerland Tourism.
• Singh will now be in charge of promoting Switzerland Tourism’s campaign for 2017 – “Nature wants you back!”
• On his recent trip to Switzerland, the actor tried various activities such as wakeboarding on Lake Zurich, ski jumps at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, bogganing on Mt Pilatus, paragliding and skydiving in Interlaken.
• He also visited the FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich and paid tribute to Yash Chopra by visiting the Yash Chopra Suite at Victoria Jungfrau and the Yash Chopra Statue in the Kursaal Garden.
• Switzerland has always been known for its serenity and its natural beauty.
• Switzerland is a perfect place for a complete holiday experience that will leave you spellbound for days.
• To Switzerland offers with its snow covered mountains, crystal clear lakes, various nature excursions, public transport system, boutique cities and culinary indulgences.

India poise to get its malaria drug by 2018 – 05 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India is likely to get a breakthrough anti-malarial drug Tafenoquine by 2018.
• The antimalarial drug pipeline has increased nearly three-fold since 2008, with at least 3 new medicines expected to be launched in two to five years
• The overall research pipeline for anti-malaria drugs has grown from a mere 17 projects in 2008 to 46
• India has lot of clinical trials have already begun, is likely to get a breakthrough anti-malarial drug Tafenoquine by 2018.
• According to WHO ,India accounts for 70% of the malaria cases in the Southeast Asia region.
• The drug is usually an one-day two-dose treatment.
• It has already entered phase-three trials and once approved will replace the current 14-day treatment for plasmodium vivax malaria, which is prevalent in India.
• At least two other molecules – artefenomel and KAF 156 -are also in advanced stages of development with researchers expecting a positive outcome over the next five years.
• The development is driven by increased funding towards anti-malaria programmes worldwide over the last decade.
• The expenditure on malaria rose to $2.7 billion annually in 2015 from $130 million in 2000.
• Investment towards drug R&D alone has grown from $4 million in 1999 to over $750 million by end of 2015.
• Africa, South America and countries in Southeast Asia are also likely to witness several antimalarial drug launches over the next five years.
• The progress in drug research and development has been a game changer for malarial control programme worldwide and this is driven by increased international funding.
• While the Gates Foundation has been leading the drive to eradicate malaria from the world and have set 2040 as its deadline, it has partnered various other public health organisations.
• It has targeted to achieve the 2040 timeline for eradication of malaria globally.

India likely to open IITs for Nepal students – 05 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India has announced that from next year, Nepalese students would be able to compete for seats in Indian Institute of Technology (IITs).
• Recently, it was announced by the visiting  President Pranab Mukherjee to Nepal.
• India would continue to help Nepal with developing its human resources  and giving  the new opportunity for the students of Nepal.
• From 2017 onwards Nepalese students will have the opportunity to pursue graduate and postgraduate courses in Indian Institutes of Technology on a regular basis.
• For this, Institutes of Technology will open their entrance examinations to Nepalese students.
• IIT aspirants would have the option to write these examinations in Kathmandu.
• President Mukherjee also met with a broad spectrum of political and civil society figures in the evening and reminded Nepal that India remained committed to its “neighbourhood first” foreign policy.

Paris Agreement on climate change enters into force – 05 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Paris Agreement  has entered into force – making it an important day in the history of mankind.
• It is a global deal on climate change which is meant to save the world from catastrophic effect of global warming through various country-specific actions.
• The Agreement reached the threshold for entry into force a month ago on October 5.
• It was adopted by 195 countries, including India, in Paris in December last year.
• India had ratified it on October 2 while two biggest polluters of the world – China and the USA – had done this in early September.
• Though the countries are supposed to take their respective climate actions under the Paris deal from January 1, 2021, the four years from now till 2020 will be crucial to frame the rules of its implementation.
• Beginning of the rule making process will start during the forthcoming climate conference (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco. The 12-day Conference will begin on November 7.
• The swift coming into force of the Agreement reflects the changed sensibilities across the world in addressing climate change, and the wide appreciation of the need to act expeditiously.
• The Paris Agreement is also a testament to collaboration and perseverance of nations who debated and negotiated to ultimately reach a consensus, and of NGOs and multilateral organisations who contributed to and encouraged the parties (countries) to the Agreement.
• Under the Agreement, the countries are required to take actions as per their pledges over an agreed period of time.
• It has put in place a transparency mechanism through which countries would report on progress made towards meeting their pledges.
• It also includes periodic stock-taking to equip the world with an assessment of the level of action needed to keep average global temperature rise within 2 degrees Celsius by the end of this century from the pre-industrial level.
• As part of the celebration of entry into force of this global deal, India along with other countries displayed a ‘Smiley’ with lights on important buildings with a slogan ‘we did it’.
• The country’s environment ministry’s building — Indira Paryavaran Bhawan here in Jor Bagh — also displayed the ‘Smiley’.

Kamala Harris poised to be first Indian American Senator – 06 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Kamala Harris became the first woman, first Asian American and the first African American AG of California in 2010 is the favourite to win the Senate race in the State.
• She has the solid backing of Obama and the entire array of the Democratic Party.
• Kamala Harris has been the first to do many things, and she appears to be well on the way to be the first Indian American in the United States Senate.
• The 52-year old Attorney General (AG) of California Kamala Harris has been choosen by the president Barak Obama.
• She has been a confidante of Mr. Obama, who endorsed her in July.
• Her mother Shyamala Gopalan grew up in Chennai and came to the U.S in the early 1960s.
• She studied endocrinology and cancer at the University of California at Berkeley where she met Donald, who grew up in Jamaica.
• They married soon. Kamala and Maya, their two children, took their baby steps straight into politics.
• Maya Harris is one of the three senior policy advisers to the Hillary Clinton campaign and is widely expected to take a senior position in the administration if Ms. Clinton wins.
• Ms. Harris has fond memories of her childhood visits to Chennai to meet grandparents, she told a gathering of Indian donors in California recently.

India and Sri Lanka set up Joint Working Group to address fishermen issue – 06 Nov 16

Highlights:

• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with Sri Lanka Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera at a meeting in New Delhi.
• The decision came three days after fishermen of both countries failed to reach an agreement on ending fishing in Sri Lankan waters by Indian fishermen.
• India and Sri Lanka have agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on Fisheries (JWG) and a hotline between their Coast Guards to address the long-standing issue of fishermen from Tamil Nadu being arrested.
• The decision, taken during talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in New Delhi.
• It was also decided that the JWG would meet every three months while the Ministers of Fisheries on both sides would meet every six months beginning January 2017 along with Coast Guard and Naval representatives to discuss the protracted issue.
• The Rural Fishermen Society president offered a deal for Indian boats to be allowed to fish in Sri Lankan waters for 85 days every year for the next three years before they are phased out.
• Rejecting that offer, fishermen from Jaffna wanted an immediate end to “bottom trawling”.
• “Bottom Trawling” is a practice that depletes the ocean’s resources, and refused to return more than 100 trawlers seized by Sri Lankan authorities since 2014.
• The terms of reference of the JWG includes “expediting the transition towards ending the practice of bottom trawling at the earliest”, as well as framing procedures for returning fishermen arrested by both sides, and the possibility of joint patrolling.
• However, the issue of their seized boats is unresolved, and has been an emotive issue in Tamil Nadu, with the State government writing to the Centre on several occasions to negotiate for their release.

Japan and Russia agree to economic cooperation ahead of summit – 06 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Improving the economic relationship between Japan and Russia , both countries have agreed to economic cooperation.
• Japan and Russia will focus on about 30 items of economic cooperation ahead of a December summit.
• Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to make progress in resolving a long-festering territorial row.
• Japan’s Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko met Russian officials in Moscow.
• Both countries agree to seek concrete progress before Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Japan next month.
• The ministers also agreed to map out by Nov. 18 plans for government-led projects such as improving the urban environment in the south-western city of Voronezh and training of Russian engineers.
• That would be before Mr. Abe and Mr. Putin hold an expected meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Peru that month.
• Mr. Seko and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak agreed to work together on oil and gas development and cooperation on decommissioning Japan’s disaster-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor.
• The dispute over four islands north of Japan’s Hokkaido, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kuriles in Russia.
• It has kept Tokyo and Moscow from signing a peace treaty formally ending their conflict in World War Two.
• Mr. Abe is betting his close ties with Putin and the lure of investment from Japanese companies could set the stage for progress in the dispute when the pair meet in Abe’s home constituency on December 15.

Govt food subsidy bill likely to hit Rs 1.4 lakh cr in 2016-17 – 06 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to Food Ministry, in India at present around 80 crore people are covered under the food security legislation against a total intended coverage of 81.34 crore people.
• With all the 36 states and Union territories rolling out the National Food Security Act (NFSA), the government’s food subsidy budget for the current financial year is likely to increase to Rs 1.4 lakh crore from the Budget allocation of Rs 1.32 lakh crore.
• Although as per the act, the roll-out would have begun within one year of passage of NFSA in July 2013, many states took more time for preparing beneficiaries lists thus leading to delays.
• At the current coverage, he said that the monthly allocation of foodgrains to states/UTs under NFSA would be around 4.5 million tonne.
• During the last one year, Kerala and Tamil Nadu had been seeking more time to implement the food security legislation, as these two states wanted to complete end-to-end computerisation of their Public Distribution System and the seeding of the Aadhaar numbers of the beneficiaries.
• Recently, the food ministry also informed those states that the Centre would supply food-grains to them at minimum support price (MSP)-derived prices for the above poverty line (APL) categories instead of NFSA-prescribed prices of Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 per kg for rice, wheat and coarse grains, respectively.
• The NFSA guarantees a monthly entitlement 5 kg of grain per person.
• It implies that these states would have had to pay Rs 22.54 a kg for rice for their monthly allocations under the APL category, as against the Rs 8.30 a kg that they are paying now.
• For Tamil Nadu, it would have  resulted in an additional expenditure of Rs 2,730 crore.
• The state is also incurring an expenditure of Rs 2,393 crore annually on its universal PDS.
• The  southern state has started to implement the act from November 1 and would also continue with the universal PDS. While its monthly offtake of rice under the earlier Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), including the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, was about 3.23 lakh tonne, the Centre would continue to provide similar quantity as per NFSA requirements.
• About  71% out of around 24 crore ration cards have been seeded with the Aadhaar numbers of beneficiaries. This has resulted in the deletion of about 2.62 crore ration cards across states.
• As part of PDS reforms, fair price shops are being automated for the distribution of foodgrains through an electronic point of sale (e-PoS) device that authenticates beneficiaries at the time of distribution and also electronically captures the quantity supplied.
• As reported by FE earlier, of 5 lakh odd fair price shops in the country, 1.6 lakh have been equipped with e-PoS machines.

India’s GDP growth at 7.6 % in 2016-17: NCAER – 06 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Economic think-tank NCAER has pegged India’s GDP growth at 7.6 % for the current fiscal on back of pick-up in rural demand and “positive signals” on the manufacturing front.
• India’s economy had expanded at 7.6 % in 2015-16.
• The anticipated improvement in the agricultural sector and the associated increase in rural demand will give an upward push to economic growth.
• The manufacturing sector is also giving positive signals with Purchasers’ Managers Index, Index of Industrial Production for core sectors and auto sales going up.
• The domestic aviation sector growth continues to be robust.
• However, other service index indicators continue to be muted.
• Food inflation is also showing signs of dampening in the latter part of the second quarter.
• However, fuel inflation may revive. Although urban demand is predicted to remain strong, external demand continues to be volatile.
• Its estimates show that the output of kharif food-grains is expected to reflect an increase of 10 % to 11 % over last year’s output of 124 million tonnes.
• India’s fiscal position remained under stress during first half of the current fiscal.
• Despite healthy growth in tax revenues, the combination of rising expenditure and lower-than-expected non-tax revenues is likely to “test the government’s resolve” to abide by the fiscal deficit target set out in Budget 2016-17.
• The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) is one of India’s oldest economic think-tank set up in 1956.

IIT-Kharagpur develops tool to prevent train collision – 07 Nov 16

Highlights:

• IIT Kharagpur have successfully tested a new tool for electronic railway interlocking system which prevents trains from colliding into each other, so that train journeys could soon be safer.
• The tool suite is developed by the Computer Science and Engineering Department of the institute in collaboration with Research, Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and Service Improvement Group (SIG) of the Indian Railways.
• Since errors in the application logic of interlocking systems may have catastrophic consequences, this development has potential to minimise the chance of such errors.
• In the proposed approach, the yard layout is used as a reference for automatically generating a list of safety properties, which are then proven on the application logic using back-end model checking tools.
• The generation of the formal properties is specifically tailored to the combination of relays used in that yard.
• The tool has already been successfully tested in several railway yards.
• This project has the potential to be further extended to study and develop optimum traffic operation plans, alternative plans for emergencies.
• The Indian Railways, through RDSO, has awarded 12 research projects to IIT Kharagpur’s Centre for Railway Research in the area of analysis and design of rolling stock, infrastructure, operations and maintenance.
• Several of the products and technologies are being field tested at various facilities of Indian Railways apart from lab testing at IIT Kharagpur.
• The next step would be to further develop the products and technologies with an industrial partner for production, the experts said.
• Scientists  have leveraged analytical tools used for verification of VLSI (very large scale integration) circuits to develop formal verification logic for railway interlocking systems.
• Railway interlocking is a critical signalling system that prevents trains from conflicting movements by only allowing one train to take a particular route which has been locked for it.

First woman Attorney-General of U.S.A, Janet Reno dead – 07 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Janet Reno, the first woman U.S. Attorney-General and a lightning rod for Republican attacks during Bill Clinton’s presidency, has died in Florida,at the age of 78.
• Ms. Reno died at her Miami home due to complications from Parkinson’s disease.
• She was one of the longest-serving Attorney-Generals.
• Her Department of Justice handled prosecutions in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and two cases of domestic terrorism, the 1995 Oklahoma City federal building bombing and the “Unabomber”.
• Ms. Reno was applauded for displaying integrity and a willingness to accept responsibility, but she was also fiercely criticized.
• Republicans accused her of protecting President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore when, in 1997, she refused to allow an independent counsel to investigate allegations of fund-raising improprieties in the White House.
• Ms. Reno was never part of the Clinton inner circle, even though she served in the Clinton cabinet for two terms, longer than any attorney general in the previous 150 years.
• She was a latecomer to the team, and her political and personal style clashed with the president’s, particularly as she sought to maintain some independence from the White House.Ms.
• Reno was a strong advocate of guaranteeing federal protection to women seeking abortions and safeguarding abortion clinics that were under threat.
• Before becoming attorney general, Ms. Reno was the Dade County state attorney for 14 years, when the Miami area was growing rapidly and experiencing rising drug-related crime, widening racial divisions, demoralizing police corruption and waves of immigration from Cuba.

Prominent Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra passes away – 07 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Odisha’s Senior Congress leader and three-time legislator Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra passed away at a private hospital in Gurugram.
• He was 52, and is survived by his wife and a daughter.
• He was popularly called Lulu Mohapatra.
• He had been undergoing treatment at Medanta Hospital for the past few weeks.
• He was died of following multiple organ failure.
• The charismatic leader who was popular among the youth across Odisha since his student days was elected from Brahmagiri Assembly constituency in Puri district 1995, 2000 and 2004.
• Mohapatra was headed the students’ wing and youth wing of Congress in Odisha in the past.
• He also worked as a working president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) in 2009 when K. P. Singh Deo headed the party in the State.

M Rajeshwar Rao appoined as new Executive Director by RBI – 07 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• India’a apex financial regulator,Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as Executive Director (ED).
• He has appointed after the  voluntary retirement of G Mahalingam.
• In his new role, Mr. Rao will look after Department of Statistics and Information Management, Financial markets Operations Department and International Department of the RBI.

Brief History:

• M Rajeshwar Rao has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Cochin.
• He is also a Certificated Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers. He had joined RBI in 1984 and as career central banker has exposure in various aspects of central bank functioning.
• Before his appointment as ED, he was the Chief General Manager (CGM), Financial Markets Operations Department of the RBI.
• Previously, he had held charge of the Risk Monitoring Department of RBI and also had worked as the Banking Ombudsman, New Delhi.

Indian Lawer Aniruddha Rajput elected to UN’s International Law Commission – 07 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Indian lawyer, Aniruddha Rajput (33) has been elected as a member International Law Commission (ILC), a top body of legal experts of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• Rajput is among the 34 individuals elected by the UNGA as members of the ILC.
• He is India’s first time candidate to the Commission and youngest among the group.
• He is also the first Indian nominee chosen from outside the close circuit of lawyers of the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
• Elections The members have been elected from five geographical groupings of Asia-Pacific, African, Latin American and Caribbean, Eastern European and Western European states.
• Rajput was elected from the Asia Pacific Group by garnering 160 votes.
• They will have five-year term commencing from January 2017.
• Brief History:
• Aniruddha Rajput had practiced in the Supreme Court for six years and was also visiting professor for international Commercial Arbitration and International Trade Law at Indian Law Institute.
• He is an alumnus of London School of Economics. He was appointed by Law Commission of India to an expert group tasked with analysis of Model Bilateral Investment Treaty 2015.
• His prime areas of interest being international laws include sources of international law, law of sea, international arbitration, UN law & practice and international trade law (WTO law).
• He has several publications to his name, including books, articles, chapters, conference papers on legal issues.
• The International Law Commission (ILC) was established by the UNGA in 1947 to undertake the mandate of UN to ensure promotion and progressive development of International law and its codification.
• It holds an annual session at the UN Office at Geneva.

India ranks second in global business optimism index: GTIB – 07 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to the latest report of Grant Thornton International Business, India has was ranked second in the global business optimism index during the third quarter (July-September 2016).
• India has improved its ranking by one spot in the index.
• The report was prepared on the basis of a quarterly conducted global business survey of 2,500 businesses across 36 economies.
• Earlier in second quarter (April-June 2016) India was ranked third after being on top for two consecutive quarters.
• In the report Indonesia took the top spot and Philippines was placed third after India. India was able to improve its rank because of policy reforms and adaptation of Goods and Services tax (GST).
• The improvement clearly reflects that the reform agenda of the government and its efforts on improving the climate for doing business are having an impact.
• Globally, business optimism stands at net 33%, rising 1 percentage point from the previous quarter but has failed by 11 percentage points over the year.

: World’s first zero-emissions hydrogen train “Coradia iLint” unveiled in Germany – 08 Nov 16

Highlights:

• World first hydrogen-powered and zero-emission passenger train named as Coradia iLint was unveiled in Germany.
• The first of its kind eco- friendly train has been developed by French rail company Alstom.
• The Coradia iLint only emits excess steam and condensed water into the atmosphere.
• Coradia iLint is powered by a hydrogen fuel tank fitted on its roof.
• The fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen and oxygen from the air.
• The fuel cell converts hydrogen and oxygen into electric power.
• Excess electric is stored with onboard lithium batteries.
• The train is totally carbon-neutral and carbon-free which makes it a much more sustainable alternative conventional diesel trains.
• Besides, the claims speeds of up to 87 miles per hour and has a hydrogen storage capacity for a 497-mile range.
• The testing of the hydrogen-powered train will be carried out by the end of 2016 in Germany.
•  If the results prove successful, the trains will service the Buxtehude-Bremervörde-Bremerhaven-Cuxhaven line in Lower Saxony, Germany by December 2017.

Pakistan opposes India’s bid for UN permanent membership – 08 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Pakistan is seeking to block India’s bid for permanent membership to the UN Security Council.
• Pakistan has firmly opposed” to the creation of new seats in the 15-member body .
• Pakistan’s Ambassador to UN Maleeha Lodhi also blamed a “handful of countries” for the lack of any progress in the long-running negotiations to restructure the UN Security Council, an obvious reference to India, Brazil, Germany and Japan.
• She blamed the countries for being “inflexible” in their push for permanent seats on the 15-member body.
• This selfish pursuit of national ambition is the real reason that has prevented us from making the Security Council more democratic, accountable, transparent and effective.
• Presently, the Security Council is currently composed of five permanent members – Britain, China, France, Russia and the US – and 10 non-permanent members that are elected in groups of five to two-year terms.
• Despite a general agreement on enlarging the Council, as part of the UN reform process, member states remain sharply divided over the details.
• Pakistan, a leader in the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group, stands for creating a new category of members–not permanent members with longer duration and a possibility to get re-elected.
• Earlier in June, Pakistan had questioned how adding new permanent seats to the 15-member body could enhance its representativeness and effectiveness.

India’s share in global social science research less than 2% – 08 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to the comprehensive study of social science research , India has mere a 1.6% global share in the 16.6 lakh articles published in reputed journals worldwide in the period between 2009-14.
• China, on the other hand, had a share of 5% in the same period among the 160 countries which were part of the study.
• India has only 159 autonomous social science research institutions.
• The study also found that of the 148 autonomous institutions for which it could get detailed data, 54 are concentrated in Delhi, whereas 15, 13 and 11 are based in Maharashtra, Kerala and West Bengal respectively.
• The average size of faculty in the 148 autonomous institutions is over seven, which is on the lower side.
• Of the 148, 29% (43) have less than five faculty members per institute, 19% (29) have less than 10, and 9% (13) have less than 15 members per institute.
• Only 8% have faculty members numbering 10 and 20, and 9% have more than 20 faculty members.
• The highest share of faculty had a background in economics and allied subjects.
•  Related to this, the study says that the major share of research output comes from the discipline of economics, followed by sociology and political science.
• Others in the descending order of research output include articles and books on educational studies, international studies, social geography, population studies, social history and so on.
• Predominance of English is another factor. Only 7% of all social science journals published in the country is in Hindi.
• Out of the 2,131 journals published between 2000 to 2015, a staggering 1,801 or about 90% were in English while only 7% or 191 journals were in Hindi.
• There are far fewer journals in other regional languages – 34 in Gujarati, 33 in Bengali, and 24 in Marathi.

India and ADB sign $48 mn loan agreement for Assam – 08 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $48 million loan agreement towards improving Assam’s power distribution system.
• The project will help Assam to enhance capacity and efficiency of its power distribution system to improve electricity service to end users.
• This is the second tranche loan of the $300 million multi-tranche financing facility for the Assam Power Sector Investment Programme that was approved by the ADB Board in July 2014.
• The first tranche loan of $50 million was signed in February 2015.
• This loan will help strengthen the state’s distribution system, improve energy efficiency and reduce technical and commercial losses.
• The loan of $48 million from ADB makes up to 80 % of the total project cost of almost $60 million, with the state government providing counterpart finance of $12 million.
• The loan has a 25-year term, including a five-year grace period with an annual interest rate.

PM Narendra Modi Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes pulled out of circulation immediately – 08 Nov 16

Highlights:

• PM Narendra Modi declared that from midnight currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination will not be legal tender.
• The move was aimed at curbing the negative impact of fake currency, black money, corruption and terrorism on the nation’s economy.
• People can deposit notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 in their banks from November 10 till December 30, 2016
• All notes in lower denomination of Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20, Rs 10, Rs 5, Rs 2 and Re 1 and all coins will continue to be valid.
• He also announced that new notes of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 will be introduced.
• ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week.
• Banks will remain closed tomorrow and ATMs will also not function tomorrow, Modi said.
• Besides depositing money in bank accounts, the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes can also be exchanged with lower denomination currency notes at designated banks and post offices on production of valid government identity cards like PAN, Aadhaar and Election Card from November 10 to November 24 with a daily limit of Rs 4000.
• Those unable to deposit Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes till December 30 this year can do so in designated RBI offices till March 31 next year after filling a declaration form.
• India’s global ranking on corruption had moved only to 76th position from 100th earlier.
• The end to the legal tender of the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes comes into effect the midnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, as soon as the date turns to November 9.
• ATMs will not work on November 9, and at some places on November 10 as well.
• Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes can be deposited a post offices and banks without any charge till December 30.
• Banks would be closed for public business on November 9, to allow them to tackle the rush of people who might want to deposit their notes.
• Cashless fund transfers would remain unaffected.
• PM Modi also announced a number of safeguards to ensure that medical payments or other critical services are not affected by the move.
• Hospitals, petrol pumps, railway reservation counters, airports, crematoriums and other key services will continue to accept the notes for 72 hours, till the end of November 11, 2016.
• The extreme measure came almost immediately after PM Modi chaired a meeting of the Union Cabinet.
• Earlier in the day, Modi had also met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and the chiefs of the armed forces.
• Before making the announcement, Modi had explained the rationale for the move.
• He had stressed on the negative impact of corruption, black money, fake currency and terrorism on the economy.
• In an attempt to curb black money, PM Narendra Modi declares Rs 500, 1000 notes to be invalid

Important Tips:

1. Currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations will not be legal beginning November 9.
2. New notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 would be released and circulated from November 10.
3. ATMs will not work on November 9, and at some places on November 10.
4. People can deposit notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 in their banks from November 10 till December 30, 2016.
5. Those unable to deposit Rs 1000, Rs 500 notes by December 30 for some reason, can change them till March 31, 2017 by furnishing ID proof.
6. Currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 will be just paper with no value.
7. Banks will remain closed on 9th November.
8. All banks and post offices will remain shut tomorrow.
9. Cashless fund transfer won’t be affected.
10. Respite for people for the initial 72 hours, Govt hospitals.
11. Respite for people for the initial 72 hours, Govt hospitals will accept old Rs 500 and 1000 notes till 11 November midnight
12. Some medical facilities will be exempted from this for the time being
13. Rs 20,000 weekly cap on exchange of Rs 500 & Rs 1,000 notes

Indian Railways sets up special cell to monitor high value transactions – 09 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The Indian Railways  took a slew of steps for passenger convenience at railway stations and on trains.
• It was happned, a day after Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes were demonetised by the Centre.
• The Railways also set up a special cell to monitor high value transactions at ticketing counters and have asked passengers purchasing tickets worth above Rs. 50,000 to furnish PAN cards.
• Authorised caterers of the Indian Railways have been instructed to accept Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes from passengers at railway stations and on trains.
• Presently, the Union Railway Minister is Suresh Prabhu.
• The Indian Railways has set up a special cell to keep a tab on high value transactions at ticketing counters.
• The Indian Railways has made furnishing of PAN cards by passengers compulsory for buying tickets worth over Rs. 50,000.
• For instance, if one buys four tickets in the first air conditioned class coach on the Delhi-Chennai route, the fare amount will be around Rs. 56,000.
• Railways be able to procure smaller currency notes from RBI’s regional offices so that there is no inconvenience faced by passengers at the counters are we have sufficient reserves.

Get Universal Account Number (UAN) soon:EPF money may not be remitted in its absence – 09 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has set a deadline of November 15 for employers to obtain the Universal Account Number (UAN) of employees before filing the electronic-challan-cum return (ECR).
• This is part of the implementation of the next version of UAN or UAN 2.0.
• Implementation of UAN 2.0 requires the allotment of UAN upfront and the ECR can be filed only in case of such members where UAN has either been allotted to member or the previous UAN has been linked to his present employment.
• This in effect means that all contributing members should have UAN, in the absence of which the employer would not be able to remit dues in respect of these members.
• The employer has to declare whether is is first-time employment of member to obtain his new UAN or link the UAN or previous members ID in case the new employee has a previus EPF membership.
• This happens after the ECR has been submitted by the employer. The system identifies the new Ids in the present ECR vis-a-vis previous ECR and pushes the same to employer portal for declaration.
• The UAN program was launched by EPFO in 2014 to provide one umbrella number to members for all the employments of an EPF member.
• The next version of UAN would involve generation/linking of UAN of members in his various employments and its integration with next version of ECR and Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) scheme.

Deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh to face tax, penalty on mismatch: Finance Ministry – 09 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Further dangling the stick, government tonight warned that cash deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh threshold under the 50-day window could attract tax plus a 200 % penalty in case of income mismatch.
• Everybody  would be getting reports of all cash deposited during the period of November 10 to December 30, 2016, above a threshold of Rs 2.5 lakh in every account.
• The (tax) department would do matching of this with income returns filed by the depositors.
• Any mismatch with income declared by the account holder will be treated as a case of tax evasion.
• This would be treated as a case of tax evasion and the tax amount plus a penalty of 200 per cent of the tax payable would be levied as per the Section 270(A) of the Income Tax Act.
• The government has allowed citizens to deposit in their bank accounts old currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations, which had been declared invalid in the nation’s biggest crackdown on blackmoney, corruption and counterfeit notes, between November 10 and December 30.
• The income tax department will keep a close watch on cash deposits into bank accounts post-discontinuation of R500 and R1,000 bank notes.
• The special investigation team (SIT) recommendations on black money would be considered while preparing the forthcoming Union Budget.
• The impact would be felt by every part of the economy with the real estate sector feeling the biggest and a far-reaching impact.
• However, people in the organised sector would not feel any impact.
• For individuals who have legal cash in hand, they can easily deposit the same in the bank account with Aadhaar card or PAN card.
• This move will give a sharp boost to all formal channels of payment which will help the formal economy to grow in the coming future.

India and China to set up JWGs on fake notes, sharing terror info – 09 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India and China will soon set up two joint working groups to deal with the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and a round-the-clock hotline to exchange information related to terror and organised crimes.
• Both countries are also likely to conclude negotiations and ink an agreement on security cooperation by March next year.
• The proposed pact will ensure cooperation on tackling transnational crimes and cyber crime.
• The issues were discussed threadbare by a Chinese delegation led by Vice-Minister of Public Security Fu Zhenghua and an Indian delegation led by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi.
• Both sides discussed the setting up of two Joint Working Groups to deal with the FICN and the setting up of a 24×7 hotline to exchange information.
• They also discussed issues relating to e-Visa, telecom fraud and security matters.
• Modi and Meng, a top aide of Chinese President Xi Jinping, discussed issues of mutual interest, including bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation.
• The Prime Minister welcomed increased cooperation between India and China on counter-terrorism related matters.
• The intensive exchange of high level visits between India and China over the last two years was heartening and such visits contribute to building strategic understanding between the two countries.
• Raising India’s concerns on terrorism, the Home Minister appealed to Meng to support the international community’s efforts to designate Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, as a dreaded terrorist under the UN Resolution 1267.
• China has twice blocked India’s efforts to include Azhar, alleged mastermind of the terror attacks on Pathankot air base and an army camp in Uri, on the UN’s sanctions list containing names of individuals and groups linked to the al Qaeda or Islamic State.
• Tehreek-e-Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, blamed for terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, were financed and sponsored by the ISI, he told the Chinese leader.

Pramila Jayapal becomes first Indian-American woman to be elected to the U.S. House – 09 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• Pramila Jayapal became the first ever Indian-American woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representative, winning the Washington State Senate seat.
• She has won a seat in Seattle’s 7th Congressional District.
• The 51-year-old Ms. Jayapal got 57 % of the votes from Washington State, leaving behind her rival Brady Walkinshaw who secured 43 % votes.
• India-born Ms. Jayapal made a mark with her progressive agenda in the Washington State Senate.
• Ms. Jayapal is running from the seventh Congressional District of Washington State that encompasses Seattle and its neighbourhood.
• She was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, the former Democratic presidential aspirant.
• Jayapal immigrated to the U.S. when she was 16 years old and worked as a civil rights activist.
• She founded an advocacy group OneAmerica, before becoming a Washington State senator.
• The progressive politician attracted national attention during this election cycle by attaching herself closely to Senator Bernie Sanders.

Melania to be 1st foreign-born US First Lady since 1820s – 10 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Melania Trump become the first foreign –born USA’s first lady since 1820s.
• After her husband Donald Trump winning the US presidential polls, she is set to become the first foreign-born First Lady of the US after Louisa Adams.
• 46-year-old Melania will be the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams — the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth US president (1825-29).
• Melania Trump, a Slovenian former model, was born in 1970 in communist Yugoslavia.
• She met Donald Trump at a Fashion Week party in New York in September 1998, when he was separated from his second wife Marla Marples.
• They were engaged in 2004, and were married in a church ceremony in Florida the following year.
• In March 2006, she gave birth to their son Barron.
• Late Louisa was born in London to an English mother and an American father who served as US consul, according to the White House.
• Till date, she was the only First Lady to be born outside the United States.
• Ms. Melania, a Slovenian former model, was born in 1970 in communist Yugoslavia.
• She is the daughter of Viktor Knavs, a car and motorcycle dealer and a member of the Slovenian Communist Party, and Amalija Knvas, according to media reports.
• She began her modeling career when she was 16, and at the age of 18 signed with a modeling agency in Milan, Italy.
• Melania has her own jewellery and skin care line and speaks five languages — Slovenian, Serbian, English, French and German.
• Ms. Melania got her Green Card in 2001 after moving to the US five years earlier and became a US citizen in 2006, a year after her marriage.
• She had made headlines in July after she was accused of plagiarising parts of a speech made by Michelle Obama in 2008.
• Melania is also stepmother to Donald Jr, 38, Ivanka, 34, Eric, 32, from Trump’s first marriage to Ivana, and Tiffany, 22, from his marriage to Marla Maples.

Chinese Minister Meng Hongwei elected Interpol President – 10 Nov 16

Highlights:

• China’s Vice-Minister for Public Security Meng Hongwei was elected the President of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
• Meng Hongwei is the first Chinese official to take the post.
• Mr. Meng took over the position from his predecessor Mireille Ballestrazzi from France.
• He is being elected at the closing ceremony of Interpol’s 85th General Assembly held in Bali, Indonesia for a 4-year tenure.
• The President of the Interpol heads its Executive Committee and is elected by the General Assembly for a period of four years.
• As the new president, Mr. Meng’s duty includes chairing meetings of the Executive Committee, which ensures the implementation of decisions made at the General Assembly.
• INERPOL was founded in 1914.
• Presently, it’s  headquartered is located in Lyon, France.
• Interpol is the second largest international organisation after the United Nations with 190 members.
• It is a global police communications system, a large scale database for stolen and lost travel documents, and coordinating global and regional joint law enforcement operations on regular basis,
• Interpol has played an important role in deepening global police cooperation and combating transnational criminal offences.

Republican Donald Trump wins USA election, become the 45th president – 10 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• Republican Donald J. Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States.
• He was elected as the 45th US president on November 8, 2016, defeating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, and will take office on January 20, 2017.
• Mr. Trump defeated Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton – who would have been the country’s first woman President in its 240-year history.
• He has won 289 seats while his compatriot won only 218 seats.
• The 70-year-old real estate mogul-turned politician will hold the office at White House in next year.
• He will succeeds Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the U.S.
• Mr. Trump is the oldest person to be elected President.
• Mr. Trump built a hyper-nationalistic campaign that accused Ms. Clinton and leaders of his own party of being in collusion with global corporations to squeeze the interests of the American working class.
• Mr. Trump built a popular upsurge for change that breached conventional Democratic strongholds and captured the White House for the Republicans in a nail-biting finish to an acrimonious and hostile election season.
• The Republicans have also retained control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress.
• Donald Trump’s improbable victory in the U.S. presidential election provoked global shock and angst over the implications for everything from trade to human rights and climate change.
• Mr. Trump’s rise has been keenly watched abroad as he campaigned on a platform of trashing trade agreements, questioning alliances, restricting immigration and dismissing climate change.
• His success was only part of a larger, crushing victory for the Republican Party, which retained the House and maintained control of the Senate.
• Trump has never before held public office, but he will be joined in the executive branch by Vice President-elect Mike Pence and a host of politicians and business executives who rallied around the GOP nominee.
• Trump will likely face significant Democratic attempts at opposition after he enters the White House in January.
• In fact, Trump has elicited strong outcries from liberal and minority groups since he first characterized many Mexican immigrants “rapists” in his June 2015 campaign kickoff.

Brief History:

• Donald John Trump  was born on 14 June,1946.
• He is an American businessman, reality television star and politician.
• He is President-elect of the United States as well as chairman and president of The Trump Organization, the principal holding company for his real estate ventures and other business interests.
• During his career, Trump has built office towers, hotels, casinos, golf courses, and other branded facilities worldwide.
• Trump was born and raised in New York City and received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1968.
• As of 2016, he was listed by Forbes as the 324th wealthiest person in the world, and 156th in the United States, with a net worth of $3.7 billion in October 2016.

PFRDA proposes introducing Securities Lending and Borrowing Mechanism under NPS – 10 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has proposed allowing short lending of securities for the National Pension System (NPS) under the Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) Mechanism regulated by SEBI to optimise the returns to the subscriber.
• SLB is a legally approved medium for lending and borrowing of securities.
• Under SEBI regulations, all market participants including retail (except Qualified Foreign Investors) in the Indian securities market have been permitted to lend/borrow securities but only through an Authorised Intermediary(AI).
• SLB enables lending of idle securities by the investors through the clearing corporation/clearing house of stock exchanges to earn a return through the same.
• Securities in the F&O segment are eligible for short selling.
• NSCCL (NSE Clearing Corporation) and BOISL ( BSE Clearing Corporation) are the only authorised intermediaries presently.
• The Concept note on SLB floated by PFRDA comes as a follow up of the G N Bajpai committee report set up by PFRDA which submitted its recommendations in September 2014 to review the investment guidelines for the private sector for NPS.
•  The movement from the Directed investment regime to the Prudent investor regime shall entail not only easing of the ceilings for each asset class, but also allowing wider choice of instruments under each asset class across the board.
• PFRDA has pointed out that SLB can provide an incremental return to lenders on an idle portfolio.
• So if an investor intend to hold it for long term, in the shorter term I could lend this whenever there is a demand and get additional return in terms of lending fees/additional return knowing that NSCCL/BOISL are the guarantors.
• Insurance companies, banks, HNI, mutual funds and retail investors are currently participate in SLB as lenders.
• Pension Funds can invest the contributions received from NPS subscribers/Atal Pension Yojana (APY) subscribers of NPS .

China launches pulsar navigation satellite – 10 Nov 16

Highlights:

• China has launched a navigation satellite which will conduct in-orbit experiments using pulsar detectors to demonstrate new technologies.
• The X-ray pulsar navigation satellite is weighing more than 200 kilogrammes.
• It was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country’s northwest.
• It was carried by a Long March-11 rocket, the 239th flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket series.
• The satellite will undergo tests on its detector functions and space environment adaptability while in orbit.
• The satellite and the rocket were designed by academies affiliated with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
• The X-ray pulsar navigation will help reduce the spacecraft’s reliance on ground-based navigation methods and is expected to lead to autonomous spacecraft navigation in the future.

RBI issues clarifications on Hedging for External Commercial Borrowings – 10 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued the Clarifications on hedging for External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) in a bid to effectively address currency risk at the systemic level.
• The Clarifications were issued by RBI under section 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
• ECBs are commercial loans borrowed from foreign sources for financing the commercial activities in India.
• It may be bank loans, securitised instruments, buyers’ credit, suppliers’ credit, foreign currency convertible bonds, etc.
• In case of FDI, foreign money is used only to finance the equity Capital. But in case ECBs, foreign money is used to finance any kind of funding other than equity.
• The ECB borrower will be required to cover both principal as well as coupon payments through the hedges done, starting from the day of borrowing.
• The hedging period will be for the entire life of the liability with a minimum 1 year rollover option.
• It will be ensuring that the total exposure is not un-hedged at any point of time.
• The borrower has to hedge in such a manner that the projected cash flows match the expectation of the borrowers irrespective of the fluctuations in the foreign currency.
• The designated banks will have the responsibility of verifying that 100% hedging requirement is complied with.

Iconic singer Leonard Cohen dies aged 82 – 11 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• Leonard Cohen, rock music’s man of letters has died at the age of 82 at Los Angels.
• His songs fused religious imagery with themes of redemption and sexual desire, earning him critical and popular acclaim.
• Leonard Cohen, at a time was  a singer-songwriter who was also an acclaimed poet and novelist.
• Cohen, a native of Quebec, was already a celebrated poet and novelist when he moved to New York in 1966 at age 31 to break into the music business.
• Before long, critics were comparing him to Bob Dylan for the lyrical force of his song writing.
• Although he influenced many musicians and won many honours, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada, Cohen rarely made the pop music charts with his sometimes moody folk-rock.
• Cohen’s most famous song, “Hallelujah,” in which he invoked the biblical King David and drew parallels between physical love and a desire for spiritual connection.
• It has been covered hundreds of times since he released it in 1984.

India’s first banking robot,Lakshmi,makes debut in Chennai – 11 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• India’s first banking robot Lakshmi made its debut in the south Indian city, Chennai.
• It is launched by the Kumbakonam-based City Union Bank.
• The artificial intelligence powered robot will be the first on-site bank helper.
• Top private lender HDFC Bank, which is also experimenting with robots to answer customer queries, is testing its humanoid at its innovation lab.
• Lakshmi, which took more than six months to develop, can answer intelligently on more than 125 subjects.
• Lakshmi can answer it all i.e. Want to know your account balance,  Interest rates on home loans and  deferred payments or possible charges to be incurred on fixed deposit closure etc.
• Apart from answering generic questions, it has also programmed to connect to the core banking solution.
• If a customer wants to know his bank account details or transaction history, the robot can flash the answer on its display.
• Sensitive financial information like account details are displayed discreetly on the robot’s screen and not voiced.
• Lakshmi only talks out loud on generic subjects.
• If you visited our branch with your girlfriend, she won’t embarrass you by showing your low account balance.
• Lakshmi, who currently speaks in English, gestures, turns around and engages in a very life-like manner in conversations.
• Unlike most robots her speech is not formal, but more relaxed and casual.
• Since its artificial intelligence, the robot is constantly learning from customers – the more interactions it has with customers the better it gets.
• Worldwide very few banks employ robots at branches and we want to bring a whole new experience to India.
• Currently, the bank has readied only one version of Lakshmi and has plans for 25-30 robots deployed at key branches by the end of the year if Lakshmi proves a hit with customers.

Union Government launches Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana for entrepreneurs – 11 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched of Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana (PMYY) to scale up an ecosystem of entrepreneurship for youngsters.
• The scheme was launched by Union Minister of State(I/C) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy to mark 2nd Foundation Day of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• PMYY is MSDE’s flagship scheme on entrepreneurship education and training.
• The scheme spans over five years (2016-17 to 2020-21) with a project cost of 499.94 crore rupees.
• It will provide entrepreneurship education and training to over 7 lakh students in 5 years through 3,050 institutes.
• It will provide easy access to information and mentor network, incubator, credit and accelerator and advocacy to create a pathway for the youth.
• The institutes under the PMYY include 2,200 institutes of higher learning (colleges, universities, and premier institutes), 500 ITIs, 300 schools and 50 entrepreneurship development centres through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal row: 42 Punjab Congress MLAs resign over SC ruling on water-sharing – 11 Nov 16

Highlights:

• In a high drama style, all Opposition Congress MLAs have submitted their resignation to the Punjab Assembly Secretary.
• The main purpose is  to protest the Supreme Court’s ruling favouring Haryana on the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal issue.
• State Congress chief Amarinder Singh, meanwhile, launched a fresh attack on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
• He alleged Badal has “failed to protect the interest” of the people and announced that his party will take out a rally on the issue.
• The water dispute assumed a new dimension with the Supreme Court  holding as unconstitutional the 2004 law passed by Punjab to terminate the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring states.
• A five-judge bench is headed by Justice A R Dave on this issue.
• The bench also included Justices P C Ghose, Shiva Kirti Singh, A K Goel and Amitava Roy.
• The bench was unanimous in holding that all the five questions of Presidential reference have to be answered in the negative.
• The judgement implies that the 2004 Act was not in consonance with the apex court judgement of 2003 which had mandated the construction of the SYL canal that was stalled.
• The judgement makes it clear that the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act, 2004 is “unconstitutional”.
• So, Punjab could not have taken a “unilateral” decision to terminate the water sharing agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh.

Seventh Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) to WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) kicked off – 11 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The Seventh Session of the Conference of Parties (COP7) ) to WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is being held in India from 7-12 November, 2016, at, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• It is the first time that the occasion is being held in India.
• The Conference was inaugurated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare.
• Conference of Parties (COP7) to WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is a global tobacco control conference that stress on incorporating smokeless tobacco as an agenda.
• The conference is jointly organised by the government of India and the convention secretariat. About 1500 Delegates are expected to participate in the conference from around 180 countries.
• With this India gets an opportunity to show what the country has done to control harmful tobacco and learn from other countries.
• President of Sri Lanka and His Excellency Shri Maithripala Sirisena is a special invited speaker at the conference.
• The six-day event began by opening of the session on November 7, followed by adoption of agenda and organization of work, Meetings of the Bureau; Informal regional meetings and the European Union coordination meetings.
• The WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) entered into force in 2005.
• It was the first global evidence-based public health treaty to be agreed under WHO and has successfully helped to co-ordinate and energize the global struggle against tobacco and recognizes the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
• The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the Governing Body of the WHO FCTC and comprises of 180 Parties to the Convention.
• It regularly reviews the implementation of the Convention and takes action to promote its effectiveness. The regular sessions of COP are held at two yearly intervals
• Mozambique became the 181st party to join the Conference of Parties (COP7)
• On the opening day of the conference, Mozambique became the 181st party to join the Conference of Parties (COP7) to World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

No High Level Committee to examine recommendation on minimum Pay hike: 7th Pay Commission – 12 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• There are lakhs of Central government employees are waiting for the setting up of the high level committee on minimum wage, but the government has denied forming any such committee.
• The government now decided that it would not to appoint any High Level Committee to examine the minimum pay and allowances as was recommended by the 7th Pay Commission.
• In a bid to look after the minimum pay, fitment formula revision and other main demands of central government employees the government had assured to set up a committee to look into these.
• Various central government employees’ unions have threatened to go on an indefinite strike post the announcement of pay commission recommendation on June last year.
• They have over expressed dissatisfaction over the recommendations of the Pay Commission
• The Unions had asked the government to set up a committee to look into issues raised by them in relation to the pay scales and other recommendations of the Pay Commission.
• On June 29 last year, the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission.
•  The overall hike in salary and allowance of central government employees and pensioners comes to 23.5 %.
• The new scales of pay provide for entry-level basic pay going up from Rs 7,000 per month to Rs 18,000, while at the highest level i.e. Secretary, it would go up from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh.
• For Class 1 officers, the starting salary will be Rs 56,100.
• The recommendations will benefit over 1 crore employees.
• This includes over 47 lakh central government employees and 53 lakh pensioners, of which 14 lakh employees and 18 lakh pensioners are from the defence forces.

U.K. regulator Ofcom slaps penalty on Zakir Naik’s Peace TV – 12 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Britain’s regulator, Ofcom, has imposed a penalty of £65,000 on Club TV Limited.
• It has imposed on  the licence holder of Zakir Naik’s Peace TV Urdu in Britain for breach of the content code.
• Mr. Naik’s NGOs in India are currently under government scrutiny and the process has been initiated to declare them terrorist entities under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
• The Ofcom regulator found the telecast of the public lectures by an Islamic scholar highly critical and potentially offensive to the Jewish people.
• This was broadcast on September 12 and 13 on Peace TV Urdu.
• It  found a number of discriminatory remarks made on the Jewish people as an ethnic group in the lectures delivered by Islamic scholar Israr Ahmed who died in April 2010.
• The regulator observes that the breach of the code was serious as the content included numerous examples of overwhelmingly negative and stereotypical references to Jewish people which, in its view, were a form of hate speech.
• Ofcom was also concerned about the potential harm arising from such a speech.
• The order states: Ofcom was concerned that the highly critical and negative statements made about Jewish people , uninterrupted by an individual likely to be held in high status by the viewers of Peace TV Urdu had the clear potential to cause harm by portraying Jewish people in highly negative terms.
• In its defence, Club TV expressed its sincere regret and acknowledged that the contents should not have been broadcast.
• However, it argued that its viewer profile is over 25 years old – i.e. the channel’s viewers were not the youngest and most impressionable.
• The contents aired on the channel have attracted the attention of the regulator in the past, but was not considered serious enough to warrant a statutory sanction.
• Earlier, in November 2009, Ofcom found Peace TV in breach of its programme code for statements indicating it was permissible to beat a wife in certain circumstances.

India pledges US$ 10.95 million for UN development activities by 2017 – 12 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India has pledged about US$ 10.95 million for development activities across several UN bodies for the year 2017.
• It includes US$ 4.5 million for the UN Development Programme (UNDP), US$ 1.92 million for the World Food Programme, US$ 1.25 million for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Near East (UNRWA) and a million dollars towards UN Women.
• India has been a regular contributor to the UN since its founding.
• India believes that the UN should have the necessary resources to finance, in an appropriate and balanced manner.
• As a developing country, India has its own plate full of developmental challenges that need to be addressed, but it still has always contributed to increase the availability of core resources for the development activities of the United Nations system.
• India also pledged resources to UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the world body’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), Commission on Human Settlements Programme (HABITAT), Environment Programme (UNEP), Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and towards the Voluntary Fund for Technical Co-operation.
• India is also processing contribution for the Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery and for the Victims of Torture and UN Volunteers.
• At the pledging conference, 24 countries committed to provide approximately USD 1.09 billion towards development activities.
• The amount represented an increase of more than of 14-fold over those commitments made in 2015.

Indian men hockey player Sreejesh among FIH Goalkeeper of the Year nominations – 12 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Indian men’s hockey captain P.R. Sreejesh has been named as one of the candidates for 2016 Goalkeeper of the Year award of the FIH.
• Harmanpreet Singh made the grade as one of the 2016 Rising Women Star of the Year nominees.
• The nominees for the 2016 Hockey Stars Awards, the annual prizes recognising the best players, goalkeepers, rising stars, coaches and umpires in a given calendar year were announced during the Hockey Revolution Part 2 Conference of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) which is currently taking place here.
• There was no Indian in the 2016 Player of the Year nominations (both men and women) and in the 2016 Coach of the Year nominations (both men and women).
• Five male and five female nominees have been selected for each award.
• The player, goalkeeper and rising star awards were selected by a panel consisting of the FIH Athletes’ Committee, Continental Federations, Coaches and media. All awards are based on performance at international events during the 2016 season, as well as the player’s overall contribution to the sport.
• Winners will be decided by the combined results of an online vote that is open to the public and a peer vote from international athletes.
• Voting for players, goalkeepers and rising stars will open on November 16 and closes on December 2.
• The Coach of the Year nominations, three from each gender, were selected by the FIH High Performance and Coaching Panel, with winners decided by a peer vote.
• The 2016 Umpire Award winners, one male and one female, will be selected by the FIH Umpiring Committee.
• All winners will be announced in January next year.

2016 Player of the Year nominations:

• Women: Carla Rebecchi (ARG); Kate Richardson—Walsh (GBR); Stacey Michelsen (NZL); Alex Danson (GBR); Naomi van As (NED).
• Men: Gonzalo Peillat (ARG); John-John Dohmen (BEL); Moritz F (GER); Tobias Hauke (GER); Pedro Ibarra (ARG).

2016 Goalkeeper of the Year nominations:

• Women: Maddie Hinch (GBR); Joyce Sombroek (NED); Kristina Reynolds (GER); Jackie Briggs (USA); Belen Succi (ARG).
• Men: Juan Vivaldi (ARG); Jaap Stockmann (NED); Vincent Vanasch (BEL); David Harte (IRL); Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh (IND)

2016 Rising Star of the Year nominations (Players under 23):

• Women: Maria Granatto (ARG); Lily Owsley (GBR); Nike Lorenz (GER); Kathryn Slattery (AUS); Florencia Habif (ARG).
• Men: Arthur van Doren (BEL); Christopher Ruhr (GER); Jorrit Croon (NED); Harmanpreet Singh (IND); Timm Herzbruch (GER).

2016 Coach of the Year nominations:

• Women: Alyson Annan (AUS); Karen Brown (GBR); Janneke Schopman (USA).
• Men: Carlos Retegui (ARG); Danny Kerry (GBR); Shane McLeod (BEL).

INS Vikramaditya completes first refit in Kochi – 12 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya has successfully completed its first routine maintenance, a 43-day short refit, at the Cochin Shipyard.
• It has held  at a high level of operational competence and preparedness.
• The maiden dry-docking of the vessel after its induction into the Navy in November, 2013, had put to rest apprehensions about the feasibility of carrying out its first cycle of underwater maintenance within India,
• The ship arrived in Kochi in early September, and was dry-docked at Cochin Shipyard on September 23 close on the heels of the soon-to-be-retired aircraft carrier INS Viraat was undocked following its decommissioning refit.
• After the first cycle of preventive maintenance, the vessel was undocked on November 5.
• It involved a thorough inspection of the carrier’s underwater package.
• Vikramaditya is a steamship.
• It has a large number of pipes and underwater openings.
• The hull plates that are in contact with the corrosive medium of seawater – all got inspected.
• The vessel has added a great national capability, enhancing the image of the Navy.
• All systems, including the long range surface to air missile (LR-SAM), the close-in weapon system (CIWS)
• The main gun were all in place and the process of exploiting the capabilities of the carrier and its air arm had come a long way with the ship’s company and the systems integrating well.
• There were initial apprehensions about dry-docking the vessel in Kochi as there were technical challenges posed by the depth of the channel, which was eventually dredged to a desired level, and the length of the carrier overshot the yard’s dry-dock length by a few metres.
• Vikramaditya will soon depart Kochi on operational deployment.

UNSC : Many U.N. member states back India’s bid for permanent seat – 13 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Many members countries are supported India to be permanent members of United Nations Security Council (UNSCF).
• The permanent member, Britain believed in a modest expansion in the permanent and non-permanent categories.
• It also favoured permanent African representation.
• The G4 Group of Brazil, India, Japan and Germany are bid for permanent membership in UNSC.
• Supporters include U.K., France; overwhelming sense that UNSC must reflect emergence of new global powers.
• India’s bid for a permanent seat in a reformed United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has received a strong support from many member states of the world body.
• It includs the United Kingdom and France, which emphasised that the U.N.’s top unit must reflect the emergence of new global powers.
• More than 50 speakers shared their suggestions, perspectives and concerns over reform of the 15-nation UNSC during a General Assembly session here last week.
• Among the large number of nations supporting a permanent seat for India and other emerging powers like Brazil and Germany were two veto-wielding permanent members of the Council — the United Kingdom and France.
• The increase in membership should be such that it balanced representation with effectiveness.
• The five permanent members should also refrain from using the veto in cases of mass atrocities.

Indian Hockey administrator Narinder Batra elected FIH president – 13 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Hockey India president  Narinder Batra becomes the first Indian to head the international body of an Olympic sport.
• Narinder Dhruv Batra became the first Indian to head the international federation of an Olympic sport after being voted president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) at the 45th FIH Congress in Dubai.
• Batra polled 68 of the 118 eligible votes in the three-corner election for a near majority.
• He defeated Ireland’s David Balbirnie (29) and Australia’s Ken Read (13), both long-time FIH members.
• It was the culmination of months of criss-crossing the world, garnering support for an Asian to lead the administration that has been dominated by Europeans.
• Indians have headed international federations before – N. Ramachandran was president of the World Squash Federation for two terms while several Indians have been presidents of the ICC.
• This is the first time an Indian has taken charge of an Olympic sport.
• Despite his almost two-decade long association with the sport as president of Jammu & Kashmir hockey, Batra first came into the spotlight in 2005 after challenging the might of K.P.S. Gill as the erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president.

Indian women golfer Aditi scripts history, wins Women’s Indian Open – 13 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Teen golf sensation Aditi Ashok scripted history as she became the first Indian woman to win a Ladies European Tour title by clinching the Hero Women’s Indian Open.
• The 18-year-old shot an even par-72 in the final round to win the title.
• The teenager took her total score to three-under 213, one stroke clear of Brittany Lincicome of the US and Spaniard Belen Mozo who finished tied second.
• Aditi’s round included birdies on the par-four second and 10th holes and bogeys on the seventh, 13th and 17th.
• She became richer by Euro 54,988.20.
• The Rio Olympian golfer needed at least a birdie on the final hole to avoid a three-way tie.
• But she held her nerve to secure her 13th birdie of the tournament on the par-5 18th to make history.
• Earlier, this year, the Indian golfer had impressed at the Olympics.
• She had carded 3 under 69 on the second day to grab the sole lead at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

World World Pneumonia Day : India still losing fight against child pneumonia,diarrhea epidemics – 13 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India still losing fight against child pneumonia, diarrhoea epidemics
• The country witnessed 2,97,114 deaths from the two diseases in 2015.
• According to the latest report of International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), India stood top of the charts with a total of 2,96,279 deaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea.
• The tally being just short of last year’s figure of 2,97,114 deaths, and the nation desperately needs to reduce those numbers.
• The Pneumonia and Diarrhoea Progress Report published annually by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,.
• It puts India at the top of the list of 15 nations, as it did last year, and the years before.
• The report, however, does indicate some consolation can be found in the fact that India is among the 12 nations that have improved their Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD) score this year.
• The rate of all-cause mortality in this age group has been cut by more than half worldwide since 1990, from 91 deaths per 1,000 live births to 43 in 2015.
• Although this is an enormous achievement, pneumonia and diarrhoea’s contribution to under-5 deaths remains stubbornly high.
• In 2015, these two diseases together were responsible for nearly one of every four deaths that occurred in children under five.
• Nearly 15 years after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in 2000, five countries among those with the highest pneumonia burden – India, Indonesia, Chad, China and Somalia -are still not using the vaccine in their routine immunisation programmes, the report noted.
• India recently announced a partial introduction of the vaccine in five states (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh) from 2017.
• Union Health Ministry  has added  life-saving vaccines such as PCV (pneumococcal conjugate) and rotavirus to our immunisation programme.
• It will not only improve the health of our children but will also reduce hospitalisation and other conditions associated with diarrhoea and pneumonia, such as malnutrition and delayed physical and mental development among children.
• India introduced rotavirus vaccines in four States in 2015.
• In addition to thinking of vaccines, the report points out other simple proven interventions in order to prevent these deaths, including antibiotics, exclusive breastfeeding, and access to treatment and care.
• Also urging nations to go beyond business as usual, it chronicles innovations that help speed up the process and better chase the goal of cutting down the number of preventable child deaths.

What is World Pneumonia Day ?

• World Pneumonia Day usually marked every year on November 12.
• It was established in 2009 to raise awareness about the toll of pneumonia.
• The diseases  is a leading killer of children around the world and to advocate for global action to protect against, help prevent, and effectively treat this deadly illness.

India and Japan ink 10 pacts: Cover areas like space, agriculture – 13 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India and Japan have signed 10 pacts as part of agreements to bolster bilateral ties.
• It has covered a range of areas such as boosting Japanese investment in infrastructure, railways, and for cooperation in space and agriculture.
• An MoU was signed between the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited and Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport and Urban Development.
• It enable cooperation and promote investment in infrastructure projects in railways & transportation; port terminals; toll roads; airport terminals and urban development.
• This MoU would also enable the two sides to explore opportunities to set up a NIIF-JOIN joint fund.
• Two memorandum of understandings were signed to boost cooperation in space technology.
• One of the MoUs between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) concerned cooperation in outer space in satellite navigation and planetary exploration.
• It also included joint missions and joint use of ground systems for mutual support.
• The other MoU between India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science aims to promote cooperation in areas of joint survey and research, and exchange of scientific visits by researchers and experts.
• India and Japan also signed a landmark deal for civil nuclear cooperation after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Shinzo Abe.
• The move is likely to boost bilateral economic and security ties and facilitate US-based players to set up atomic plants in India.
• The deal allows Japan to export nuclear technology to India, making it the first non-NPT signatory to have such a deal with Tokyo.
• It cements bilateral economic and security ties as the two nations warm up to counter an assertive China.
• In past two years, India received about US$ 55 billion in foreign direct investments.

Indian Railways set to provide tickets on demand – 13 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Ministry of Railways is undertaking a massive drive to boost capacity.
• It aims at providing tickets to people on demand in all premier and express trains.
• The railways will significantly raise capital expenditure in the next financial year from Rs.1,21,000 crore (Budget estimate) in 2016-1.
• The Ministry also plans to run trains at a speed of 160 km per hour in some of the important routes such as Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah, and to raise the speed of all trains, including goods transporters.
• The railways’ capital expenditure witnessed a massive leap from just about Rs.50,000 crore in 2014-15 to R93,000 crore in 2015-16.
• Much of the capex will be utilised to improve capacity and consequently boost earnings.
• The railways is unable to meet demand of both passenger and freight traffic.
• The eastern and western freight corridors will be completed by December 2019, which will be a “game changer”.
• This is because most of the freight is usually transported in the regions that come under the corridors.
• The railways also plans to improve its punctuality rate to up to 95% from the current 80%.
• However, although the railways targets to keep the operating ratio at 92% in 2016-17, just a tad worse than the revised estimate of 90% for 2015-16, it would be a Herculean task, given the burden of the pay panel recommendations.
• The eastern corridor from Ludhiana to Dankuni (1,840 km) and the western corridor from Dadri to Jawahar Lal Nehru Port (JNPT) (1,502 km) are being constructed for exclusively movement of goods trains.

Punjab National Bank (PNB) makes a difference arrangement for the elderly Citizen – 14 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India’s second largest nationalized bank ,Punjab National Bank (PNB) walked an extra mile in its efforts to help senior citizens exchange the now defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with Rs 100 notes at the Gool Poonawala Garden at Salisbury Park.
• The bank had put up a mobile banking van at the garden where senior citizens could exchange upto Rs 4,000.
• Senior citizens who came to the garden for morning walk hailed the initiative.
• It was a good proactive move by the Punjab National Bank (PNB).
• A part of PNB Prerana’s initiative, the drive helped senior citizens cash exchange and open accounts. They were requested to carry only their identity proofs with them.
• The bank employees helped to make copies of their identity proofs.

Indo-Bhutan Relation : Bhutan signs new trade pact with India – 14 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India and Bhutan have signed the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit.
• It aims to enhance trade between the two countries through trade facilitation, cutting down documentation and adding additional exit/entry points for Bhutan’s trade with other countries.
• Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Minister for Economic Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan, Tengye Lyonpo Lekey Dorji signed the Agreement,
• The new bilateral Trade Agreement aims to enhance trade between the two countries through trade facilitation by improving procedures, cutting down on documentation and adding additional exit/entry points for Bhutan’s trade with other countries.
• It is also expected to further strengthen the excellent relations between the two countries,
• It is noted that , the first Agreement on Trade and Commerce between Bhutan and India was signed in 1972.
• Since then, the Agreement has been renewed four times.
• The last Agreement was renewed on July 28, 2006 and was valid till July 29, 2016.
• The validity of the Agreement was extended for a period of one year or till the date of coming into force of the new Agreement, whichever is earlier, by exchange of diplomatic notes between the two countries.

India and USA launch USD 95 mn clean energy projects – 14 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The USA has announced two financial projects worth USD 95 million in India to bring more energy-efficient appliances to rural sector.
• It is a part of its efforts to continue the global transition to zero-and-low carbon energy sources.
• The US has committed USD 70 million in Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) financing for renewable energy projects in India.
• It also announced to launch a USD 20 million partnership this week with the philanthropic sector to bring more efficient appliances to rural Indian villages.
• The USD 75 million OPIC financing is for a utility-scale PV project in Telangana.
• It is sponsored by ReNew Power Ventures.
• This commitment represents the rapid mobilisation of financing under a USD 250 million facility to support up to 400 MW of new solar power projects in India across multiple states, the White House said.
• Further the OPIC and Indian Government will this week formally launch a USD 20 million distributed solar facility in partnership with leading philanthropies, it said.
• It is known as US-India Clean Energy Finance program (USICEF).
• It will address a key financing gap in the Indian distributed solar market by funding early-stage project preparatory work, it said.
• USICEF is anticipated to unlock up to USD 400 million in long-term debt financing from OPIC and private sector investors, the White House said.
• According to the White House fact sheet, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Smart Power for Rural Development Initiative is also announcing a new partnership with the Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership (Global LEAP) to accelerate the deployment and use of energy efficient off-grid devices in rural India.
• The US Department of State will, subject to Congressional notification, provide funding for Global LEAP to support the development and roll out of a programme to deploy energy- efficient devices such as televisions, fans, and refrigerators at selected Smart Power supported mini-grid sites.
• It will also develop a strategy for a programme-wide scale-up targeted to reduce energy costs for some of the poorest people in India.
• From 2010-2015 alone, the US has invested in more than USD 11 billion in international clean energy finance.
• Key achievements include establishing Mission Innovation (MI), with the leaders of 19 countries, to accelerate innovation by doubling public investment in clean energy research and development to USD 30 billion over five years.

Supreme Court (SC) sets up panel on night shelters – 14 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Supreme Court has asked the government to respond on the lackadaisical attitude shown by authorities to provide sufficient number of night shelters to the poor and homeless in the towns and cities of northern States despite the availability of funds.
• The Bench is led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur.
•  In spite of the availability of funds and a clear mechanism through which to disburse them, there was an extremely unsatisfactory state of affairs on the ground.
• A careful consideration of the submissions of parties and the material on record discloses that the destitute in urban areas continue to suffer without shelters.
• Noting the disparity between the claims of the government and the adverse reports of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
• The Bench observed that the city’s poor shiver in the winter cold as welfare measures like the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) scheme continue to remain a distant dream.
• The court directed that a committee headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Kailash Gambhir be constituted to verify the availability of night shelters, including if they are in compliance with the operational guidelines under the NULM and to inquire into the reasons for slow progress in setting up shelter homes by the States/Union Territories.
• The committee shall further inquire about non-utilisation and/or diversion/misutilisation of funds allocated for the scheme for providing shelters to the urban homeless.
• The committee shall issue suitable recommendations to the States to ensure that at least temporary shelters are provided for the homeless in urban areas to protect them during winter season.
• The State governments shall ensure compliance with the recommendations along the time frame indicated by the committee.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates International Conference on sugarcane value chain – 14 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Conference and Exhibition on Sugarcane Value Chain – Vision 2025 Sugar in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The 3 days conference has been organised by Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) at Manjari near Pune.
• Around 1,500 delegates are expected to participate in this conference from across the globe.
• In this conference, eminent international and national speakers will deliver lectures on significantly different important aspects of sugarcane value chain.
• Besides, there will be an exhibition showcasing various technological developments in sugar industry.
• It will also have live demonstrations of sugarcane crop showing various advance technologies and practices in cultivation.
• What is Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) ?
• VSI is an autonomous body established in 1975 by sugarcane growers of co-operative sugar mills in Maharashtra with support of Central and State government.
• Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vasantdada Patil was founder of the institute.
• Former Union Minister Sharad Pawar is the present President of VSI.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier to be Germany’s next President – 15 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Germany’s Foreign Minister will become Germany’s next president.
• Frank-Walter Steinmeier would take over the largely ceremonial role as head of state from Joachim Gauck, whose five-year term ends in February.
• Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Union bloc would back Mr. Steinmeier’s nomination for the post.
• Mr. Steinmeier’s own center-left Social Democratic Party.
• The 60-year-old political veteran would likely have enough support to win a vote among the 1,260 delegates who elect Germany’s next president on February 12.
• Mr. Steinmeier had earned widespread respect and the necessary trust required to fill the post.
• Mr. Steinmeier is regularly ranked among Germany’s most popular politicians.
• While normally studiously diplomatic, Mr. Steinmeier strongly criticised U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during the American election campaign.
• The nationalist Alternative for Germany party, promoters of Britain’s exit from the European Union.

India and Israel ink two agreements – 15 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Recently, India and Israel have inked two agreements in the field of water resources management and agriculture.
• These agreements were signed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in New Delhi.
• Israeli President Reuven Rivlin is in India on a six-day official state visit.
• He is the first Israeli head of state to visit India in nearly 20 years.
• The last and first Israeli president to officially visit India was Ezer Weizman in January 1997.
• India-Israel Relations India had formally recognised Israel in September 1950.
• In recent years, bilateral ties have expanded to areas such as education, science and technology and homeland security.
• The future vision of the cooperation is of a strong hi-tech partnership as both countries leading knowledge economies.
• Both countries have friendly political ties.
• The bilateral trade from $200 million in 1992 (comprising primarily trade in diamonds) has reached $5.19 billion in 2011.
• Since then it has stagnated around $4.5 billion.
• The diamonds constitutes close to 50% of bilateral trade between both countries.
• In recent times trade has diversified into several sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, IT and telecom and homeland security.
• Major exports from India to Israel include precious stones and metals, textiles and textile articles, chemical products, plants and vegetable products, and mineral products.
• Major imports by India from Israel include precious stones and metals, chemicals (mainly potash) and mineral products, base metals and machinery and transport equipment.

National Women Premier Chess Championship: Padmini Rout completes hat-trick of titles – 15 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• International Chess Master Padmini Rout secured her hat trick of title in the 10th round of the 43rd National Women Premier Chess Championship after settling for a draw with PSPB team mate Eesha Karavade.
• The Odisha girl was at the top of her game right through and did not face any great challenge in her quest to strike for gold.
• The victory ensured that Padmini Rout will be a part of the Indian women team in the next World team’s chess championship.
• The team will also have GMs Koneru Humpy and D Harika.
• Padmini Rout become the National women chess champion.
• The defending champion completed a hat-trick of titles with a business-like approach following a 26-move draw with top seed Eesha Karavade at Punjab Bhawan.
• In the final round against Eesha, her Indian Oil teammate, Padmini played solidly and drew to reach
• Padmini collected Rs. 1.75 lakh and a trophy.
• S. Vijayalakshmi’s campaign for a record seventh title ended in a runner-up finish, following a long, 90-move victory over 15-year-old R. Vaishali.
• The 37-year-old’s seventh win raised her tally to 7.5 points, worth Rs. one lakh.
• Soumya, overnight in the second spot, tried too hard with white pieces but lost her way and the game against good friend Mary Ann Gomes in 35 moves.
• This result helped Eesha take third spot, worth Rs. 80,000, and forced Soumya to settle for the fourth place that fetched her Rs. 60,000.
• Mary held on to the fifth place and was richer by Rs. 50,000, after the game between Nisha Mohota and Swati Ghate ended in a draw.
• In fact, the top five places went to the five strongest players in the fray.
• Even as Vijayalakshmi was busy looking to end Vaishali’s resistance, P. Bala Kannamma scored her third victory and with it, gained her maiden Woman International Master norm.
• Kannamma, 20, was the lowest rated player in the field at 2073 but performed way above expectations.
• Her victims included Vijayalakshmi (2390), R. Vaishali (2300) and Pratyusha Bodda (2289). She finished eighth with five points and more significantly, gained 51 rating points.

 

Final standings (with points and prize-money):

1. Padmini Rout (8 points, Rs. 1.75 lakh)
2. S. Vijayalakshmi (7.5, Rs. 1 lakh)
3. Eesha Karavade (7, Rs. 80,000)
4. Soumya Swaminathan (7, Rs. 60,000)
5. Mary Ann Gomes (5.5, Rs. 50,000)
6. M. Mahalakshmi (5, Rs. 40,00 0)
7. Nisha Mohota (5, Rs. 30,000)
8. P. Bala Kannamma (5, Rs. 20,000)
9. Swati Ghate (5, Rs. 15,000)
10. Kiran Manisha Mohanty (4, Rs. 10,000)

Govt hikes wheat MSP by Rs 100/qtl; pulses by up to 550/qtl – 15 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The government has increased the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat by Rs 100 to Rs 1,625 a quintal and pulses by up to Rs 550 per quintal to boost output of these rabi crops and check prices.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all rabi (winter- sown) crops of 2016-17.
• The CCEA has approved Rs 100 per quintal hike in wheat MSP to Rs 1,625 per quintal for the 2016-17 rabi crop against Rs 1,525 per quintal last year.
• Wheat has been hiked by 6.6 %, barley 8.2 % and including bonus, gram 14.3 %, masur 16.2 %, rapeseed/mustard 10.4 %, safflower 12.1 %.
• Gram MSP has been hiked to Rs 4,000 per quintal, including bonus, from Rs 3,500 per quintal in the previous year, while support ptice of masur has been raised to Rs 3,950 per quintal from Rs 3,400 per quintal.
• The Agriculture Ministry had proposed the support price of gram and masoor at Rs 4,000 per quintal each, including bonus, for the rabi season to boost domestic output, reduce the country’s dependence on imports, and check prices.
• Last year, gram and masur MSPs were fixed at Rs 3,500 and Rs 3,400 per quintal, respectively, after including Rs 75 per quintal bonus each.
• The MSP is the rate at which government buys the grain from farmers.
• Rabi crops will be marketed in 2017-18 starting April.

Govt has set Cash deposit limit in Jan-Dhan accounts at Rs 50,000 – 15 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The finance ministry has set an upper limit of Rs 50,000 for deposits into the Jan-Dhan accounts.
• The reports of Jan-Dhan accounts being used by other people to deposit their unaccounted cash.
• Some people are using Jan-Dhan accounts to deposit black money.
• Up to Rs 50,000 can be deposited in Jan-Dhan accounts.
• The decision was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a second review meeting on demonetisation with officials of the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The legitimate Jan-Dhan account holders would not be put to any kind of difficulty.
• However, the source of deposits of above Rs 50,000 into these accounts will be verified.
• Jan-Dhan account holders should not allow other people to use their accounts to convert their black money into white. Banks have been advised to keep a close watch on cash movement.
• The administration will not bother to make inquiry into small deposits of Rs 1.5-2 lakh.
• At the moment, the daily withdrawal limit from ATMs is Rs 2,500, and exchange of old notes from bank counters is Rs 4,500.
• This apart, the upper limit for weekly withdrawal from bank accounts stands at Rs 24,000.

SS Mundra appoented as head of formed Special Task Force to recalibrate ATMs – 15 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has formed Special Task Force to speed up the process of recalibration of automated teller machines (ATM) to dispense the new denomination notes.
• The Special Task Force will be headed by S.S Mundra, Deputy Governor, RBI.
• Representatives from the Union Finance and Home ministries, RBI, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will be its members.
• Besides, representative from each of ATM original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), cash in transit (CIT) companies and white label ATM (WLA) operators will be invited to the Task Force’s deliberation Terms of the reference of Task Force Expeditious reactivation of all ATMs in a planned manner.
• Draw up an action plan and ensure its implementation for quick recalibration of the ATMs to enable them to dispense the new Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 notes.
• After the Union Government had surprisely announced demonitization of old series Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500 notes, there was issue of currency crunch across the nation.
• Following introduction of new series of Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 500 notes, it has become necessary to recalibrate all ATMs/cash handling machines to dispense the new design notes.
• However, the recalibration process will take up to 3 weeks for all the 2 lakh ATMs to operate normally.

World Terror Attack List : India and Pakistan ranked top four countries terror attacks in 2015 – 16 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to an annual terrorism index , India last year had the highest number of attacks since 2000.
• Nearly half of all terror attacks in 2015 occurred in four countries, including India and Pakistan.
•  The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2016, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), found that 29,376 people died from terrorism in 2015, down 3,389 on the previous year and the first fall since 2010.
• India was named among the four countries where nearly half of all terrorist attacks occurred in 2015, besides Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Improvements continued to be recorded in India, which historically has had high levels of terrorist activity.
• In 2015 India had the highest number of attacks since 2000, whilst paradoxically it had the second lowest number of deaths for a single year since 2000.
• About 75 % of attacks in India had no fatalities, compared to 44 % globally.
• The country had 797 attacks that resulted in 289 deaths, compared to 764 attacks with 418 deaths the previous year.
• Pakistan was also named among the five countries with the highest impact from terrorism, besides Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Syria. These five countries accounted for 72 % of all deaths from terrorism in 2015.
• The index also shows that the IS is now officially the deadliest terrorist group in the world, overtaking Boko Haram, after claiming responsibility for 6,141 deaths through attacks in more than 250 different cities in 2015.
• And the number of countries in which IS has carried out attacks more than doubled, from 13 in 2014 to 28 in 2015.
• The attacks in the heartland of Western democracies underscore the need for fast paced and tailored responses to the evolution of these organisations.
• Though the index identifies 274 distinct terrorist groups around the world, between them ISIS, Boko Haram, al Qaida and the Taliban were responsible for 75 per cent of all terror-related deaths.
• The terrorism cost an estimated US$ 89.6 billion in 2015, down 15 per cent on the previous year.

Maharashtra becomes first state to adopt Fly Ash Utilization Policy – 16 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Maharashtra state became the first state in India to adopt the Fly Ash Utilization Policy.
• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the policy.
• The policy paves way for prosperity by generating wealth from waste and environment protection. The policy seeks 100% use of fly ash generated from thermal power plants and biogas plants for construction activities.
• Facilitates use of fly ash to make bricks, blocks, tiles, wall panels, cement and other construction materials.
• The policy extends use of fly ash to 300 kms radius of power plant from earlier 100 kms radius of power plant.
• It will help in environment protection and save soil excavation.
• It also will make available raw material for construction at low cost to help ‘Housing for All’ projects. It will also help create new employment opportunities in the power plant sector and pave way for prosperity by generating Wealth from Waste.
• It is noted that Fly ash is a fine, glass powder by-product recovered from gases of burning coal in thermal power plants during production of electricity.
• They are micron sized earth elements primarily consisting silica, alumina and iron.
• The Fly ash causes air pollution. It can also contaminate water and soil systems.
• The wet disposal of Fly ash results in leaching of toxic heavy metals in ground water system. Recyclable Uses Fly ash can be used as a replacement for some of the Portland cement contents of concrete.
• It can be used in the production of bricks for building construction.
• Central Government has made it mandatory for use of fly ash bricks in construction activities happening 500km around thermal power plants.

India and ADB sign $500 million loan to build longest river bridge across Ganges River – 16 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $500-million loan agreement to build a 9.8 km long road bridge across the Ganga River in Bihar.
• It will be country’s longest river bridge and shall provide better connectivity between North and South Bihar and also Patna and its surrounding areas.
• In addition to the loan, ADB will $900,000 in technical assistance.
• The state government will provide $215 million for the project.
• It is expected to be completed by end of December 2020.
• The new Ganga Bridge will be located near Patna.
• It will span both channels of the Ganga River and serve as an alternate route to the existing Ganga Bridge, which has begun to deteriorate.
• The project will include building of embankments, viaducts and toll facilities.
• The bridge will be constructed using the latest engineering techniques.
•  It will serve as an alternative to the existing bridge and will be linked to the National Highway network.
• It will be first of its kind in India with its height and length customized to deal with climate- related issues such as rise in water levels while ensuring minimum impact on the river.
• The ADB is a regional development bank which aims to promote social and economic development in Asia.
• It was established on 19 December 1966.
• It is headquartered in Manila, Philippines.
• ADB now has 67 members, of which 48 are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside. The ADB has been modelled closely on the World Bank.

Special committee for inter-linking of rivers: Union Cabinet approved constitution – 16 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Union Cabinet has approved constitution of ‘special committee for inter-linking of rivers’ in compliance with a 2012 Supreme Court order.
• Decision in this regard was taken in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
• The constitution of committee will help in monitoring precious projects to be carried out under its National Perspective Plan, 1980.
• The special committee will submit status-cum-progress report bi-annually to Union Cabinet to facilitate faster and appropriate decisions in the interest of the country.
• The Supreme Court in its final judgement dated February 2012 had given go ahead for inter-linking river project, seeking to transfer water from surplus to water deficit areas in country.
• The apex court had called for formation of a committee to take firm steps and fix a definite time line to lay down the guidelines for completion of feasibility reports or other reports.
• Besides, it had mandated the committee ensure the completion of projects so that the benefits accrue within reasonable time and cost.
• The project is in the pipeline since 1980. It has been touted by the Central Government as one solution to a number of problems.
• It includes making water available for irrigating land, enabling full use of existing irrigation projects; generating power, flood control etc.

DRDO scientists develop surveillance UAV for armed forces – 16 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The scientists of DRDO has successfully carried out the maiden flight of TAPAS 201 (RUSTOM – II), a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV, recently.
• The test flight took place from Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, 250 km from Bangalore. Chitradurga is a newly developed flight test range for the testing of UAVs and manned aircraft.
• The flight accomplished the main objectives of proving the flying platform, such as take-off, bank, level flight and landing.
• TAPAS 201 has been designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), the Bangalore-based premier lab of DRDO with HAL-BEL as its production partner.
• The UAV weighing two tonnes was piloted (external and internal) by the pilots from the Armed Forces.
• It is also the first R&D prototype UAV which has undergone certification and qualification for the first flight from the Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA).
• TAPAS 201, a multi-mission UAV is being developed to carry out the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) roles for the three Armed Forces with an endurance of 24 hours.
• It is capable of carrying different combinations of payloads like Medium Range Electro Optic (MREO), Long Range Electro Optic (LREO), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), Communication Intelligence (COMINT) and Situational Awareness Payloads (SAP) to perform missions during day and night.
• According to an official release, the development of UAV immensely contributes towards the Make-in-India initiative as many critical systems such as airframe, landing gear, flight control and avionics sub-systems are being developed in India with the collaboration of private industries.
• Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) of DRDO has developed the data link for the UAV. Rustom- II will undergo further trials for validating the design parameters, before going for User Validation Trials.

Indian Navy to induct four types of indigenous developed sonars – 17 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Indian Navy formally induct four types of indigenously developed sonars.
•  It will boost the force’s underwater surveillance capability.
• The systems to be inducted include Abhay – compact hull mounted sonar for shallow water crafts, Humsa UG – upgrade for the Humsa sonar system, NACS – Near-field Acoustic Characterisation System, and AIDSS – Advanced Indigenous Distress sonar system for submarines.
• The systems have been designed and developed by NPOL, a Kochi based laboratory of DRDO.
• Abhay is an advanced active-cum-passive integrated sonar system designed and developed for the smaller platforms such as shallow water crafts and coastal surveillance/patrol vessels.
• It is capable of detecting, localizing, classifying and tracking sub-surface and surface targets in both its active and passive modes of operation.
• The prototype of this compact sonar installed onboard a nominated naval platform has successfully completed all user evaluation trials to demonstrate the features as per the Naval Staff Qualification Requirements.
• Indian Navy has proposed to induct this SONAR on three of the Abhay class ships.
• Intensifying the command over the high seas is the Humsa -UG that is designed for upgrading the existing Humsa sonar system.
• This system is proposed to be installed on seven ships of three different classes of ships, a statement by the Defence Ministry said.
• AIDSS, a distress sonar is an Emergency Sound Signaling Device which is used to indicate that a submarine is in distress and enable quick rescue and salvage.
• It is a life-saving alarm system designed to transmit sonar signals of a pre-designated frequency and pulse shape in an emergency situation from a submarine for long period, so as to attract the attention of passive sonars of ships or submarines in the vicinity and all types of standard rescue vessels in operation.
• It is also provided with a transponder capability.
• After the induction of these four systems, the underwater surveillance capability of the Indian Navy will get a boost, besides providing a fillip to the quest for self-reliance in this critical area of technology.

Mahindra’s Design Studio receives international architecture award for 2016 – 17 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• Mahindra and Mahindra Limited recently announced that its Design Studio has received the international architecture award for 2016 from the Chicago Anthenaeum.
• The latter encompasses the museum of architecture and design, the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
• The international architectural award is the most prestigious and distinguished building award programme.
• It honours new and cutting edge design and promotes international architecture and design to global audiences.
• This year, the jury received a record number of projects for new buildings, landscape architecture and urban planning from prestigious global firms practicing.
• The jury selection took place in Milan during the 15th Venice Architecture Biennale and 130 projects from over 40 nations were selected by a distinguished group of Italian architects, journalists and educators.
• The Mahindra Design Studio has a unique design and its architects conceptualized a rugged, raw space that uses natural light.
• It celebrates its industrial context and complements it with a deceptively light and nuanced design.

Over Rs 3,900 crore collected as Swachh Bharat Cess in last fiscal – 17 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Over Rs 3,900 crore was collected as Swachh Bharat Cess (SBC) in the last financial year.
• The government had imposed 0.5 % SBC on all taxable services from November 15 last year.
• The total amount collected from SBC during fiscal 2015-16 was Rs 3,901.76 crore.
• About  80%  of the proceeds of the cess goes to Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry, while the remaining 20 % to Urban Development Ministry.
• The Urban Development Ministry has released Rs 159.42 crore during 2015-16 and Rs 1,569.83 crore during the current financial year to the state and UTs from the SBC.
• The Ministry has released over Rs 3,580 crore for the Modi-government flagship scheme Swachh Bharat Mission since its launch in October 2014.
• The total central assistance budgeted for Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) is Rs 1,4622.68 crore for the entire mission period.
• The Ministry of Urban Development has released an amount of Rs 3,580.91 crore.
• The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on October 2, 2014.
• The  main objective of the scheme is to make India clean by October 2, 2019.
• As many as 54 projects amounting to Rs 340.30 crore have been sanctioned for 12 cities, including Varanasi, Amritsar, Mathura, Puri and Kanchipuram under HRIDAY scheme, out of which Rs 103.49 crore has been released.
• The National Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme seeks to preserve and rejuvenate the cultural heritage of the country.

Iran overtakes Saudi Arabia as top oil supplier to India – 17 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• Iran overtook political rival Saudi Arabia as India’s top oil supplier in October,2016.
• It is possible, after curbs on Tehran were lifted and partly due to less crude from the kingdom, which has increased its refining capacity.
• Iran used to be India’s second-biggest oil supplier, a position it ceded to Iraq after tough Western sanctions over its nuclear development programme limited Tehran’s exports and access to finance.
• Indian refiners Reliance Industries Ltd has returned as buyers of oil from Iran.
• It is the operator of the world’s biggest refinery complex at Jamnagar that had stopped imports from Iran during the sanctions period.
• But India’s oil imports from Iran have shot up this year after those sanctions were lifted in January. In October they surged more than threefold compared with the same month last year, rising to 7,89,000 barrels per day (bpd).
• Over the whole January to October period, though, Saudi Arabia still holds India’s top supply spot, at an average of 8,30,000 bpd versus Iraq’s 7,84,000 bpd and Iran’s 4,56,400 bpd.
• Iran’s surge to the No.1 spot is due partly to less available crude from Saudi Arabia, which has increased its capacity to refine oil instead of just exporting more crude.
• Saudi Arabia’s refining capacity has increased over time and so it is not in a position to increase its exports further, whereas Iran is better placed to raise its output and sales to India.
• Last month, India took in 2 million barrels of Iranian crude for the SPR stocks, and another 4 million barrels is expected to be shipped in November.
• Iran produces almost 4 million bpd of oil and exports 2.4 million bpd.
• Presently, Iran is the top position as oil supplier to the world’s third-biggest importer, even if only for one month, comes at a sensitive time.
• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is due to meet on November 30 to finalise a planned production cut aimed at propping up prices, which continue to languish below $50 per barrel due to oversupply.
• Exemptions to the planned cuts were given to Libya and Nigeria, where output has suffered from conflict, and sanctions-hit Iran.

Fortune’s top business men list: Aditya Puri of HDFC Bank ranked 36th – 17 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• HDFC Bank’s Aditya Puri has been ranked 36th in the US magazine Fortune’s top 50 business persons list for 2016.
• It is the only Indian among three persons of Indian origin in the global rankings.
• Mr.Puri, who has led the second largest private sector lender since its inception in 1994.
• He has been ranked 36th in the list, which evaluates corporate leaders’ business performance.
• Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg leads the list, Microsoft’s chief executive Satya Nadella has been ranked fifth.

Rail Vikas Shivir being inaugurated by PM Modi – 18 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The three-day Rail Vikas Shivir started at Surajkund with an address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The purpose is to make train journeys a pleasant experience and achieving near-zero fatalities on tracks are among a number of critical issues.
• Prime Minister Modi delivered the address through video conferencing from New Delhi and is expected to speak on the role of the railways sector for the country’s economic growth, setting the agenda for the mega event.
• The programme will seek to generate innovative yet practical ideas in the most crucial areas of rail operations and chart out a road map for substantial progress of the sector.
• Making Indian Railways the preferred freight carrier in India, reducing the operational cost, improving non-tariff revenue and increasing the investment in rail infrastructure substantially are among the other issues to be taken up during the event.
• It is a massive exercise being undertaken for the first time in railways which is organising the three-day camp involving all employees across the hierarchy.
• More than one lakh new crowd sourced ideas for improving railways were generated and examined by various teams, and all those selected ideas will be discussed in the event.
• The venue at Surajkund has been divided into various areas named after iconic trains services like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Humsafar, Tejas, Gatimaan, Uday, Antyodaya and Jan Shatabdi.
• The Prime Minister will be present personally again to have a detailed interaction with the participants on the concluding day of the Shivir and will give away prize money to the top three teams and top 15 crowd sourced ideas.

Over 8,100 Wilful Defaulters Owe Over Rs. 76,000 Crore To Banks – 18 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Public sector banks (PSBs) have reported 16 % rise in number of wilful defaulters at 8,167 who collectively owe them Rs. 76,685 crore at the end of March 2016.
• As against the previous year, there is 16 % rise in wilful defaulters owing over Rs. 25 lakh each to 8,167 from 7,031 at the end of March 2015.
• However, dues to the bank have increased to 28.5 per cent to Rs. 76,685 crore in 2015-16 from the earlier Rs. 59,656 crore.
• To recover loans from such defaulters, banks have filed 1,724 FIRs with a total outstanding of Rs. 21,509 crore in 2015-16.
• The conviction rate in all these cases was only 1.14 %.
• Last fiscal, banks recovery efforts in such cases yielded Rs. 3,498 crore.
• There were 129 wilful defaulters who borrowed loans in excess of Rs. 100 crore amounting to Rs. 28,525 crore from PSBs as on June 30, 2016.
• RBI has formulated guidelines for early recognition of financial distress for recovery from borrowers.
• Before a loan account turns NPA, banks are required to identify stress in the account under three sub-categories of Special Mention Account (SMA).
• Banks are required to report credit information on borrowers having aggregate exposure of more than Rs. 5 crore to Central Repository of Information of Large Credits (CRILC).
• As soon as an account is reported by any of the lenders to CRILC as SMA-2, Joint Lenders’ Forum (JLF) is to be mandatorily formed if the aggregate exposure of lenders is more than 100 crore.
• Banks have seized property worth Rs. 64,519 crore during 2015-16 as against Rs. 54,060 crore in the previous fiscal.
• These properties were seized by invoking the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act.

World Philosophy Day being observed on 17th November – 18 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The World Philosophy Day was observed globally on 17 November 2016.
• This year, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organised the special events from 16 November to 18 November.
• The Day is celebrated on every third Thursday of November.
• This year, the Day was celebrated in line with the International Day for Tolerance (16 November).
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is encouraging people of the world to share their philosophical heritages and “dare to open spaces for free, open and tolerant thinking.”
• The Day falls every third Thursday in November, and this year, it follows the International Day of Tolerance.
• This coincidence is deeply significant, given the link between tolerance and philosophy.
• Philosophy thrives on the understanding of, respect and consideration for the diversity of opinions, thoughts, and cultures that enrich the way we live in the world.
• To celebrate the day, UNESCO has organized a number of events that will take place between 16 and 18 November at its headquarters in Paris.
• They include international encounters on new philosophical practices, a round table on tolerance, the launching of the UNESCO Chair on the Practice of Philosophy with Children, a round table for teaching Aristotle, and a night of philosophy to wrap up the three days.
• Traditionally, philosophical thinkers hold that astonishment is at the root of philosophy – the discipline stems from our natural tendency to be astonished by ourselves and the world in which we live.
• World Philosophy Day is of particular importance to the United Nations as it provides conceptual bases of principles and values on which world peace depends: democracy, human rights, justice, and equality.
• This year, UNESCO celebrates the birthdays of Aristotle and Leibniz, two eminent philosophers who contributed to the development of metaphysics and science, logic, and ethics.
• They placed philosophy at the core of public life.

Lieutenant General S.K. Sinha passed away – 18 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Lieutenant General S.K. Sinha passed away.
• He was considered one of the most outstanding generals of the Army.
• He was at a time a soldier, scholar and statesman.
• He was also among the last of the World War II veterans and had served in Burma and Indonesia in the last stages of the war.
• Witness to India’s tumultuous history in 1947, he had a ringside seat of the Kashmir operations in October of that year as a young officer.
• Brought to Army H.Q. in 1983 as the Vice-Chief, it was widely expected that he would succeed the Chief, General Krishna Rao, who was to lay down office in July-end.
• However, the Indira Gandhi government chose to appoint Lt. General A.S. Vaidya as the Chief – and one recalls the dignified exit made by Lt. Gen. Sinha who chose to resign in June 1983 – though he was due to retire only in early 1984.
• Various reasons were advanced for this surprise choice, but the received wisdom was that Indira Gandhi did not want an officer of his profile as the Army Chief.
• Canards were spread about his hidden political leanings and Delhi’s whisper circuit murmured words like ‘coup’ — which one had heard personally in the corridors of South Block at the time.
• Gen. Sinha chose to fade away with great dignity in the summer of 1983 to Patna — despite various pleas by the government asking him to withdraw his resignation.
• However his career as a statesman came to the fore when he was appointed Ambassador to Nepal in 1990 when that nation was going through a tectonic transition.
• Later appointed Governor of Assam (1997–2003) and then J&K (2003–08), he made a visible difference to both States.
• He wrote about extensively on civil-military relations and its many distortions in India.

Jagdish Singh Khehar appointed executive chairman of NALSA – 18 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Union government has appointed Jagdish Singh Khehar, a judge of the Supreme Court, as the new Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
• He succeeds Anil R. Dave who retired as Judge of Supreme Court after completing tenure of over six years.
• NALSA provides for free legal aid to the poor and weaker sections of the society.
• It has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
• Its aim is to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reasons of economic or other disabilities.
• NALSA also identifies specific categories of marginalised and excluded groups and formulates various schemes for implementation of legal service programmes.
• It provides services of free legal aid in civil and criminal matters for the poor and marginalised people who cannot afford the services of a lawyer in any court or tribunal.
• It also organises Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.
• It works in close coordination with various State Legal Services Authorities, District Legal Services Authorities and other agencies.

Tamil Nadu gets world’s first salt-tolerant plant garden – 18 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The world’s first Genetic Garden of Halophytes (naturally occurring salt-tolerant plants) was inaugurated at the coastal town of Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu.
• The first of its kind garden in the world was inaugurated by Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib Fakim through video-conferencing.
• The garden has been set up by M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) founded by eminent agriculture scientist Prof M S Swaminathan, father of Indian Green Revolution.
•  It will have over 1,600 species belonging to 550 genera and 117 families of Halophytes plants.
• Initially it will comprise halophytes occurring along the coasts of India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Halophytes are salt-tolerant or salt-resistant plants.
• They can thrive and complete their life cycles in soils or waters containing high salt concentrations.
• They constitute two per cent of terrestrial plant species.
• Halophytes plants are important in the context of increasing salinisation of land especially due sea level rise because of climate change and global warming.

UAE-based Indian girl in International Children’s Peace Prize race – 19 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• Kehkashan Basu, a 16-year-old Indian girl in the UAE is among three finalists chosen for this year’s International Children’s Peace Prize for her unique role in improving the rights and position of children.
• From a record number of 120 international entries, the expert committee chose Kehkashan Basu from the UAE, Divina Maloum from Cameroon and Muzoon Almellehan from Syria.
• The announcement was made by International children’s rights organisation ‘KidsRights’ ahead of Universal Children’s Day.
• According to the committee, all three have improved the rights and position of children in unique and tangible ways.
• Every year, the young prize-winner gains an international platform to share his or her message with hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
• In line with the tradition, this year’s prize will be awarded by 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus in the Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal) in The Hague on December 2.
• Kehkashan began campaigning for environmental protection at an early age and at the age of just eight, she organised an awareness campaign for the recycling of waste in her neighbourhood in Dubai.
• In 2012, she founded her own organisation ‘Green Hope’ which runs waste-collection, beach-cleaning and awareness campaigns. It is now active in ten countries with more than 1,000 young volunteers.
• Through a series of campaigns and lectures, she has demonstrated to thousands of school and university students the importance of proper environmental care.
• Kehkashan has addressed various international conferences and was nominated by her father.
• Divina (12), educates children in Cameroon about the dangers of violence and radicalisation, urging them to fight for peace.
• Nominated by Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai and The Malala Fund, Muzoon campaigns for the access to quality education of girls and against forced marriage

First Woman To Drive Solo Through Arctic Circle Felicitated – 19 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Bharulata Kamble has set a world record by driving solo 32,000 km and become the first woman to complete the 2,792km Arctic Circle.
• She become the First Woman To Drive Solo Through Arctic Circle Felicitated
• The Indian-origin UK resident was felicitated at a programme organised by Maharashtra Information.
• The programme was attended by the Director (Information) of the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations Devendra Bhujbal among others.
• Bharulata was born in Gujarat’s Navsari district.
• She set on her journey towards India from England via Arctic Circle on September 13 this year.
• She became the first woman to complete the circle expedition.
• Bharulata reached in New Delhi two days ago, covering 32,000km spread across 32 countries.
• She has been spreading awarenes about ‘saving and educating girl child’ over the span of 57 days.

World Toilet Day being observed on 19 November – 19 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The World Toilet Day is observed every year across the world on 19 November to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis.
• The significance of Day is to draw attention of people around the world to raise global awareness of the daily struggle for proper sanitation which in fact is a human right along with clean water.
• The Theme of the year 2016 is  “Toilets and jobs”.
• It focuses on how sanitation or the lack of it, can impact on livelihoods.
• It also highlights the importance of crucial role played by Toilets in creating a strong economy, as well as improving health and protecting people’s safety and dignity, particularly women’s and girls’.
• The observance of this day is coordinated by United Nations-Water in collaboration with Governments of member countries and relevant stakeholders.
• India related Facts In India, the observance of the day highlights the importance of Swacch Bharat Mission which to make India clean and open defecation free (ODF) by 2019.
• So far under Swacch Bharat Mission-Gramin 2.7 crore toilets are built, 1.2 lakhs villages are declared ODF, 60 districts declared ODF, 3 states (Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala) are declared ODF. World Toilet Day  was instituted by World Toilet Organisation in 2001.
• United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had given it official recognition in July 2013 in its 67th session under the global campaign of Sanitation for All resolution.

Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia receives 2016 Sumitra Charat Ram Award – 19 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Noted flautist Pandit Hari Prasad Chourasia was conferred 2016 Sumitra Charat Ram Award for lifetime achievement in the field of Indian classical music.
• The prestigious award bestowed upon him by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung at a function held in New Delhi.
• Pandit Hari Prasad Chourasia Chaurasia had started learning vocal music at the tender age of 15 from his neighbour Pandit Rajaram.
• Later, he had switched over to playing the classical flute under the tutelage of Pandit Bholanath Prasanna of Varanasi. He plays in the North Indian tradition.
• He joined the All India Radio (AIR), Cuttack, Odisha in 1957 and worked as a composer and performer.
• He was awarded  Sangeet Natak Academy in 1984, Padma Bhushan in 1992, Padma Vibhushan in 2000).
• He also awarded  Dinanath Mangeshkar Award in 2000.

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana: The Scheme to construct 1 crore house in 3 years – 19 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The Union Cabinet approved re-structuring of the erstwhile rural housing scheme Indira Awaas Yojana into Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin all over the country to pursue the objective of ‘Housing for All by 2022’ as envisioned by the government.
• The scheme envisages construction of one crore house in three years from 2016-17 to 2018-19.
• A scheme to construct one crore houses in next three years has been approved by the government with the objective of ‘Housing for All by 2022’.
• The house construction is not permissible under MGNREGS scheme.
• However, under PMAY-G convergence with MGNREGS, it has been made mandatory in the form of 90-95 days of unskilled labour wages for construction of house.
•  Besides, Rs 12,000 for construction of toilet, which is integral part of the house, can also be provided from MGNREGS funds or Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) or any other dedicated financial source.
• These benefits are provided over and above the scheme assistance of Rs 1.20 lakh in plain areas and Rs 1.30 lakh in hilly states and Naxal affected areas.
• The focus of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is on behavioural change among people to adopt safe sanitation and hygiene.
• In order to educate the people, the programme lays emphasis on community involvement.
• Up-to 8 % of total resources can be spent on Information, Education and Communication (IEC).
• Of these 5 % are to be spent at the state and district levels.
• The states have been advised to spend at least 60 % of IEC funds for inter-personal communication activities.

China launches world’s longest quantum communication line – 20 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Asian dragon China has launched a 712-km quantum communication line.
• It is to be the world’s longest secure telecommunications network.
• It boasts of ultra-high security making it impossible to wiretap, intercept or crack the information transmitted through them.
• The new quantum communication line links Hefei, capital of Anhui province, to Shanghai, the country’s financial hub.
• It is part of a 2,000-km quantum communication line connecting Beijing and Shanghai.
• The 712-km line has 11 stations and it took three years of construction.
• It is impossible to wiretap, intercept or crack the information transmitted through them.
• Experts from 18 countries witnessed a secure remote video meeting between Hefei and Shanghai via the quantum line at a recent international conference on quantum technology.
• The Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication line is expected to be completed at the end of this year.
• In August, China successfully launched the world’s first quantum satellite.
• It was nicknamed “Micius” after a fifth century BC Chinese philosopher and scientist.
• The Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication line will be connected to the satellite through the line’s station in Beijing, enabling the space-to-Earth quantum communication network.

China Open Super Series : P.V. Sindhu clinched the first-ever Super Series Premier Badminton title – 20 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Olympic silver medalist P.V. Sindhu clinched the first-ever Super Series Premier Badminton title of her career on 20 November 2016.
• China Open Super Series tournament was hosted at the Haixia Olympic Sports Center in Fuzhou.
• She achieved this distinction by winning China Open Super Series.
• The ace Indian badminton player  clinched her maiden Super Series Premier title after edging out Sun Yu of China in the final of the $700,000 China Open Super Series tournament.
• She defeated the local favourite Yu by 21-11, 17-21, 21-11 in the summit clash that lasted an hour and nine minutes.
• After this maiden title win, Sindhu became the second Indian player to win this prestigious tournament. Saina Nehwal had won the title in 2014.

Indore-Patna Express Derails In Train Accident Near Kanpur – 20 Nov 16

Highlights:

• At least 45 people have been killed and over 150 injured in the derailment of the Indore-Patna Express in Kanpur dehat district in the wee hours.
• The incident took place at around 3 am near Pukhrayan, about 100 km from Kanpur, at a time when most of the passengers were asleep.
• At least 120 were people feared killed when 14 coaches of an express train derailed in the early hours on 20 November 2016 near Pukhrayan in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh.
• Which train was involved in this accident, which is the biggest train accident in last 6 years? – Indore-Rajendranagar Express
• Rajendranagar (Patna) bound Indore- Rajendranagar Express (Train No. 19321) was involved in a massive accident on 20 November 2016.
•  As many as 14 coaches of the train derailed at around 3:10 am at Hasemau village between Pukhrayan and Malasa stations in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district.
• The spot of the accident is around 57 km. from Kanpur.
• S-2 and S-3 were the worst affected coaches while numerous other coaches also bore the brunt in this derailment.
• This was the worst train accident in the country since the train accident at in West Bengal on 28 May 2010 involving derailment of Gyaneshwari Express in which at least 170 persons were killed.

NASA launches Next Generation Weather Satellite GOES-R – 20 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The NASA has successfully launched highly advanced geostationary weather satellite Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R).
• It was launched on board of Atlas 5 rocket which had lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
• The satellite will boost the US’s weather observation capabilities, leading to more accurate and timely forecasts, watches and warnings.
• GOES-R is the first of four new advanced weather satellites of the GOES-R program managed by US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
•  It will become operational within a year after undergoing a testing and validation of its six new instruments, including the first operational lightning mapper in geostationary orbit.
• The satellite’s primary instrument Advanced Baseline Image will provide images of Earth’s weather, oceans and environment with 16 different spectral bands.
• GOES-R is also first satellite to carry a lightning mapper instrument to geostationary orbit.
• It will photograph lightning activity throughout Western Hemisphere about 200 times every second. It will monitor the sun and relay crucial information to forecasters so they can issue space weather alerts and warnings.
• In all, data from GOES-R will result in 34 new or improved meteorological, solar and space weather products.
• It also will be part of the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) System, an international satellite-based search and rescue network operated by NOAA.

Sri Sri Ravishankar has conferred international peace prize – 20 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar was honoured with an international peace prize for his efforts in ensuring world peace.
• Home Minister Rajnath Singh gave away the “Dr Nagendra Singh International Peace Award” to the spiritual leader at a function at Vigyan Bhawan , New Delhi.
• The award has been instituted in the memory of Dr Nagendra Singh, first Indian judge at International Court of Justice, Hague.

Brief History:

• Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, was born on 13 May 1956 in Tamil Nadu, India.
• He is a spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation created in 1981.
• It aims to relieve individual stress, societal problems, and violence.
• In 1997, he established a Geneva-based charity, the International Association for Human Values, an NGO that engages in relief work and rural development and aims to foster shared global values.
• For his service, he has received some of the highest awards of several countries including India, Peru, Colombia, and Paraguay.
• In January 2016, he was awarded the “Padma Vibhushan” by the Government of India.

INS Chennai, Largest-ever ‘Made-in-India’ warship INS Chennai commissioned – 21 Nov 16

Highlights:

• INS Chennai, a Kolkata-class destroyer ship, was commissioned into the Indian Navy’s combat fleet in Mumbai on November 21.
• Defence minister Manohar Parrikar commissioned the warship at the naval dockyard in Mumbai.
• INS Chennai is the largest-ever warship to be built in India.
• It was built at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai.
• The ship’s construction also marks the end of the Project 15A to build Kolkata-class guided missile destroyers.
• Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba, was also present on the occasion.
• The ship is equipped with a decoy that can divert a missile attack.
• Nearly 60% of the ship was built at Mazagon Dock, while weapons and sensors were brought from Israel and Russia.
• Destroyers are second only to aircraft carriers in projecting raw combat power.
• The ship is designed to carry and operate up to two multi-role combat helicopters.
• The Navy plans to become a 200-warship force with around 600 aircraft and helicopters by 2027.
• INS Chennai will be placed under the operational and administrative control of the Western Naval Command.
• The ship will undergo certain additional sea trials of the ship-borne systems before being assigned to the Western Fleet and based in Mumbai.
• INS Chennai is 164 metres long with a displacement of over 7,500 tonnes, and sails at a top speed of over 30 knots (around 55 kms) per hour.
• It is armed with supersonic surface-to-surface BrahMos missiles and Barak-8 Long Rang Surface-to-Air missiles.
• Its undersea warfare capability includes indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons and sensors, prominently the hull-mounted sonar HUMSA-NG, heavyweight torpedo tube launchers, rocket launchers and towed array sonar capability.
• For defence against enemy missiles, INS Chennai is fitted with ‘Kavach’ chaff decoy system and for protection from enemy torpedoes, has ‘Mareech’ torpedo decoy system, both developed in India.
• A potent platform capable of undertaking a variety of tasks and missions spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare, she can carry and operated two multi-role helicopters.
• INS Chennai is propelled by a powerful combined gas and propulsion plant consisting of four reversible gas turbines.
• Her very high level of automation with sophisticated digital networks on board includes ATM-based integrated ship data network, combat management systems, automatic power management system and auxiliary control system.
• The ship’s crest depicts the outline of the iconic Fort St George of Chennai in the background, a part of the adjacent beach and a sloop on blue and white waves.
• The crew of the ship abides by the Sanskrit motto ‘Shatro Sanharaka’ meaning Vanquisher of Enemies, epitomizing the warrior spirit and strong resolve to prevail and succeed in combat.

Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn conferred with first World Sanskrit Award – 21 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was presented with the first ‘World Sanskrit Award’.
• She has conferred the for her exemplary contribution for the promotion of the language for the year 2015.
• Besides, American linguist and Indologist Prof. George Cardona was also presented with this award for the year 2016.
• They were bestowed with the award by Vice President Hamid Ansari at a function held in New Delhi.
• Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is a noted educator and scholar of Sanskrit and Pali.
• She has been awarded with several awards and Honorary Doctorates including Honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature (Sanskrit) from Delhi University in 1987.
• She also won Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development Award from the Union Government in 2004; and Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1991.
• She was also the Royal Patron of the 16th World Sanskrit Conference which was held in Bangkok in 2015.

What is World Sanskrit Award ?

• The award was instituted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
• It was announced by the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her inaugural address in the 16th World Sanskrit Conference in Bangkok in June 2015.
• It is presented to eminent Sanskrit scholars to recognise their outstanding contribution to the study/research/ teaching in Sanskrit language and literature

Mother Teresa Memorial International Award conferred to Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain – 21 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain,the Dhaka cafe attack victim was awarded the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice for 2016.
• Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain is one of the three Bangladeshi hostages killed in the terrorist attack on the Holey Cafe in Dhaka’s Gulshan diplomatic zone on July 1, 2016.
•  The award was conferred posthumously by the Harmony Foundation in Mumbai.
• Faraaz’s parents received the award on his behalf at a ceremony from the Foundation’s President Abraham Mathai.
• Faraaz was a graduate of Oxford College of Emory University and a student at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in Atlanta.
• He had come to Dhaka to spend his summer holidays and was scheduled to return to the U.S. in the end of August.
• This is the first time the award has been conferred posthumously .
• The international award in memory of late Mother Teresa was first introduced in 2005 with Medecines Sans Frontieres.
• It is the largest volunteer medical organisation worldwide.
• Earlier,the other recipients of the award were Nobel laureate Malala Yousufzai of Pakistan, who has become a global icon for the education of the girl child, Nobel laureate Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr. Mahathir Mohammed and Baroness Caroline Cox, the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords.

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge wins 2016 Delhi Half Marathon – 21 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Kenya’s Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge has won the men’s race in Delhi Half Marathon. Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa won the women’s title.
• It was ninth edition of Delhi Half Marathon. Over 34 thousand participants from across the world had participated in it. 13 Rio Olympians took part in the elite race category.
• The marathon also had featured some of the biggest track and field and distance runners, with a total of 25 men and 18 women athletes from country.
• Men’s title Eliud Kipchoge won the race by clocking 59 minutes and 44 seconds to cover the 21.097km distance.
• Ethiopia’s Yigrem Demelash came second and Kenya’s Augustine Choge was third.
• Women’s title Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa won the women’s title by clocking one hour, seven minutes and 42 seconds.
• Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh came second and Helah Kiprop of Kenya was third.
• Indian elite men’s category Lakshmanan won the race by clocking his Personal Best of 1 hour 04 minutes and 37 seconds.
• M D Yunus came second and Man Singh third. Indian womens category Monika Athare won the race by clocking her Personal Best of 1 hour 15 minutes and 34 seconds.
• Sanjeevani Jadhav came second and Swati Athare third.

Union Govt introduces Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 in Lok Sabha – 21 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The health ministry introduced the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 in Lok Sabha.
• The Bill is aimed at banning commercial surrogacy to protect women from exploitation and ensure the rights of the child born through surrogacy.
• Once approved by Parliament, there will be a complete ban on commercial surrogacy, but altruistic surrogacy will be permitted for needy infertile couples under strict regulations.
• The Bill entitles only Indian citizens to avail of surrogacy, whereas foreigners, NRIs and PIOs are not allowed to seek surrogacy in the country.
• Earlier, the Bill was amid protests by the Opposition over the government’s recent demonetization move.
• Homosexuals, single parents, and live-in couples are also kept out of the purview of surrogacy. Besides, couples who already have children will not be allowed to go in for surrogacy, though they would be free to adopt a child under a separate law.
• India has emerged as a surrogacy hub for couples from different countries.
• There have been incidents of unethical practices, exploitation of surrogate mothers and abandonment of children born out of surrogacy.
• The bill allows surrogacy only for legally married couples after five years of marriage and with a certificate from a doctor stating that they are medically unfit to produce a child.
• Women within the age group of 23 years to 50 years and men aged between 26 and 55 years will be eligible to go in for surrogacy.
• In an attempt to check commercial exploitation and middlemen, the surrogate mother can only be a close relative, like a sister or sister-in-law who is married and has at least one healthy biological child.
• Also, a woman can be a surrogate only once in her lifetime.

India joins European Organisation for Nuclear Research as associate member – 22 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Geneva-headquartered European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) has inked an agreement with India that confirms the latter as the latest associate member state of the organisation.
• CERN operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world.
• India’s inclusion as an associate member state follows CERN Council’s adoption of the resolution to this effect on September 15, 2016.
• Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy signed the agreement or India  while Fabio Gianotti, Director General, signed it on behalf of CERN.
• The signing of the agreement took place in Mumbai.
• CERN is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory.
• It’s scientists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the Universe by using the most sophisticated scientific instruments and advanced computing systems.
• India has made significant contributions to the construction of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
• It covers the areas of design, development and supply of hardware accelerator components/systems and its commissioning and software development and deployment in the machine.
• The CERN has 22 member states, four associate member states, four states and three international organisations with observer status.

Agni-I successfully test-fired from ITR, Wheeler Island – 22 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Agni-I missile was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range on the Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast by the Strategic Forces of Command (SFC).
• The missile is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead weighing 500 kg.
• In this mission, it carried a dummy warhead.
• Agni-I  is designed and developed the DRDO.
• It is a single stage missile that weighs 12 tonnes and is 15 metres long. It has a range of 750 km.
• The entire flight lasted about 10 minutes, with the missile reaching its targeted area in the Bay of Bengal.
• The trajectory of the trial was tracked by a battery of radars, telemetry observation stations, electro-optic instruments and naval ships from its launch till it hit the target area with accuracy.
• Agni-I is equipped with a navigation system which ensures that it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision.
• The missile has already been inducted into the armed forces, has proved its excellent performance in terms of range, accuracy and lethality.
• The last trial of Agni-I was conducted successfully on March 14, 2016 from the same base.

New Development Bank (NDB) clears $350 million for upgrading M.P. roads – 22 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The New Development Bank has approved a $350 million loan for upgrading 1,500 kms of district roads in Madhya Pradesh.
• The bank will provide the Centre with a sovereign project finance facility to help the state build all-weather roads and improve their maintenance and management under the Madhya Pradesh Major District Roads Project.
• The board also cleared a 2-billion renminbi loan for an offshore wind power project in China.
•  The projects approved together with the first set of projects approved earlier this year
•  Mr K.V. Kamath is the present president of the Bank.

Brief History:

• The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank
• It is a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
• The initial authorized capital of the bank is $100 bln divided into 1 mln shares having a par value of $100,000 each.
• The initial subscribed capital of the NDB is $50 bln divided into paid-in shares ($10 bln) and callable shares ($40 bln).
• The bank is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
• The first regional office of the NDB will be opened in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• It was formed in July 2014  and came in to forced in July 2015.
• The official language English.

It’s members are :

1.Brazil

2. Russia
3. India
4. China
5. South Africa

Veteran Congress leader Ram Naresh Yadav passes away – 22 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Veteran Congress leader Ram Naresh Yadav passed away here at SPGI Lucknow on Tuesday after prolonged illness.
• He was former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
• The 89-year-old was a four-time MLA, a member of the Rajya Sabha and the former Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
• The fag end of his political career, when he served as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, was marred by his alleged involvement in the Vyapam scam.
• In 2015, the MP Special Task Force lodged an FIR against him for rigging forest guard exams conducted by Vyapam.
• His son Sailesh was also an accused in Vyapam teacher recruitment scam.
• Sailesh died of a brain haemorrhage in Lucknow.

Brief History:

• He was born in Azamgarh in east UP in 1928.
• Yadav went on to secure M.A and LLB degrees from the prestigious BHU.
• Participating in the socialist movement, he was imprisoned for 19 months during the Emergency.
• In 1977, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Azamgarh as a Janta Dal candidate.
• He was elected as Rajya Sabha member from 1988 to 1989 from the Lok Dal, and from 1989 to 1994 with the Congress.
• Yadav served as UP CM from 1977 to 1979 with the Janata Party.
• Yadav later joined the Congress and served as Governor of MP from 2011.
• He served as deputy CM under the Babu Banarasi Das government from 1979 to 1980.

Former ISRO chief MGK Menon passes away – 22 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Prof MGK Menon passed away in New Delhi.
• The 88 old was distinguished for investigations in the field of cosmic ray studies, high-energy inter-actions of elementary particles in particular.
• He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son.
• In the more than five decades of working in science, Menon has worked closely for several important projects with people like Homi J Bhabha.
• He became the chairman of ISRO in 1972 and later went on to work as a minister of state for science and technology and education in the VP Singh government (1989).
• He has also served as the director of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research when he was just 35, and one of the few Indians to be a Fellow Royal Society of London.
• Menon is recipient of many awards including the Padma Vibhushan.
• He was also a member of the Planning Commission (1982-1989), Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister (1986-1989), Vice President, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) (1989-1990) and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) during 1990-96.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) to set up academy in Delhi – 22 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The National Basketball Association (NBA) has taken a new initiative to nurture basketball talent in India.
• It runs the world’s premier and most popular professional league in the USA and is also involved in the national grassroots programme in India.
• It has decided to launch the NBA Academy India for 24 junior boys, in the age group upwards of 13 and for this purpose it will set up the Elite Basketball Training Centre in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR).
• The programme is set to start in April 2017.
• The NBA also has plans to roll out a programme for junior girls in order to shape their career in the sport.
• The NBA Academy India will be an elite basketball training centre to identify home grown prospects and shape the next generation of national players.
• This is the first time that a global sporting league has invested in starting a fully funded professional academy and it will be for the top international prospects in India.
• From December, the NBA will conduct a national scouting programme to identify the 24 boys for the academy scholarships.
• The academy will provide the boys with world-class training and coaching, academic support and also lay emphasis on life skills.
• The NBA remains committed to growing the game in India and the launch of the academy marks our most significant investment in basketball development in the market.
• The critical component (of the porgramme) which is compelling is that Indian athletes are going to have NBA-trained coaches who will have a sustainable influence over the development of the juniors.
• Recently the NBA launched three academies in China (Hangzhou, Jinan and Urumqi) and at the Basketball Australia’s Centre for Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.

World’s Costliest Market: Delhi’s Khan Market world’s 28th position – 23 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to the real estate consultant Cushman & Wakefield, New Delhi’s Khan Market has moved down 2 spots on its global retail ranking to become the world’s 28th most expensive retail location globally.
• Now, monthly rentals at Khan market stood at Rs 1250 per sq ft annually.
• Back home in India, Khan Market continues to be the most expensive retail location with rentals of INR 1,250/sq ft/ year.
• New York’s Upper 5th Avenue continued to remain the world’s most expensive retail location, narrowly ahead of Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay.
• Paris’ Avenue des Champs Élysées, London’s New Bond Street and Tokyo’s Ginza were at third, fourth and fifth positions.
•  ‘Main Streets Across the world’ that tracks 462 of the top retail locations around the globe, ranking them by their prime rental value.
• Despite witnessing stable rental values, Khan Market’s position slipped two places, due to marginal increases in rentals of other countries.
• The micro market has been the most expensive market in India for more than five years as demand for retail space has remained steady on account of its location and current occupier profile.
• The area is centrally located within the city of New Delhi, is flanked on all sides by high-end residential catchment areas.
• Within Asia Pacific too, Khan Market slipped down by a rank to be the 15th most expensive location, as Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City overtook Khan Market’s rentals this year.
• In India, the three most expensive retail micro-markets are located in Delhi-NCR. Khan Market and Connaught Place in New Delhi demand the highest rentals of Rs 1,250 a sq ft per year and Rs 850 per sq ft a year respectively.
• These are followed by DLF Galleria in Gurgaon, which emerged as the 3rd most expensive location.
• India’s retail real estate is going through rapid changes with consumer behaviour evolving faster than the sector can adapt to.
• The game changing phenomenon has been the rapid forward movement by e-commerce.

Balamuralikrishna, veteran Carnatic musician, dies aged 86 – 23 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Legendary Carnatic musician M Balamurali Krishna dies in Chennai at the age of 86.
• He was well-versed in Carnatic vocal music, viola and violin.

Brief History:

• He was born in Sankaraguptam in Andhra Pradesh, Mangalampalli.
• Balamuralikrishna started singing at the age of six.
• He was a master of Carnatic and Hindustani vocal music and played musical instruments like the viola, the violin and the mridangam.
• He had composed music and acted in some movies, including Bhakta Prahlada.
• He composed several thillanans, kirits and varnams.
• He revived old ragas like Narthak and Sunadavinodini and created new ragas like Lavangi, Mahathi, Manorama, Murali, Omkari, Prathimadhyamavathi, Rohini, Saravashree, Sumukham, Sushma, Ganapathi, Siddhi and Pushkara Godvari.
• Balamuralikrishna had tried to popularise the idea of music therapy in south India.
• Balamurali, as he was called by musicians and public.
• He was a recipient of all three Padma awards – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. He won several awards, including the national award for best playback singer and best music director.
• He was a prodigy and was very innovative.
• Balamuralikrishna used to accompany late Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer on the violin.
• Krishna Gana Sabha conferred Thyagaraja Seva Ratna Award on him two years ago for his service to Saint Thyagaraja.

Jan Dhan accounts mobilise Rs 21,000 crore after demonetisation – 23 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Jan Dhan Accounts have seen a huge surge in deposits, with Rs 21,000 crore being parked in such accounts following demonetisation announced earlier this month.
• Post demonetisation, the total balance on Jan Dhan accounts stood at Rs 66,636 crore.
• As of November 9 – the day from which higher denomination currency ceased to be legal tender -the balance in about 25.5 crore such accounts was Rs 45,636.61 crore.
• On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes and since then, long queues before banks and post offices are seen to deposit or exchange these currencies.
• West Bengal leads the pack of States, which has seen the highest deposits so far followed by Karnataka.
• With a view to increasing banking penetration and promoting financial inclusion and with the main objective of covering all households with at least one bank account per household across the country.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) was launched on August 28, 2014.
• Such accounts have a deposit limit of Rs 50,000.
• Earlier, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said the government is looking into sudden ‘popping up’ of money into zero-balance Jan Dhan accounts.

China agrees to import rice from 17 mills in India – 23 Nov 16

Highlights:

• China has agreed to import rice, non-basmati and basmati varieties, from 17 registered mills in India, following efforts to ensure market access for Indian products in that country.
• India had repeatedly sought market access for items including non-basmati rice, pharmaceuticals and many fruits and vegetables among others, citing the country’s widening goods trade deficit with China.
• India’s goods trade deficit with China has ballooned from $1.1 billion in 2003-04 to $52.7 billion in 2015-16.
• At present, China is the world’s largest rice importer.
• However, it had so far not granted market access to India’s non-basmati rice claiming that the item had failed to meet Chinese norms on quality, health and safety.
• Its apprehensions included the possibility of the Khapra beetle (or cabinet beetle) pest getting transported along with Indian non-basmati rice consignments to China.
• Chinese officials visited India in September to inspect 19 rice mills registered with the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) after numerous requests from the Indian side.
• These mills are in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
• To export to nations including China, it is mandatory that Indian rice exporters are registered with NPPO, the Indian government agency for inspecting the mills and granting certificates on plant health for export purposes.
• The NPPO assisted its Chinese counterpart AQSIQ during the inspection for pest-risk analysis and plant quarantine purposes to ensure that the non-basmati consignments from India will be pest-free, safe and of good quality.
• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Indian Commerce Ministry was also involved in the process.
• India had earlier sent the information sought by AQSIQ regarding the quality protocol and standard operating procedures.
• The Indian embassy in Beijing informed the Commerce Ministry that Chinese authorities, last week, cleared 17 of these 19 mills for rice exports to China.
• The Commerce Ministry has forwarded the list to APEDA and asked it to inform rice exporters to soon find customers in China.

Union Government plans crop insurance scheme for small tea growers – 23 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Central Government is planning to roll out a crop insurance scheme for small tea growers.
• Initially, a pilot will be run in three regions in Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for one crop-cycle spread over two years commencing 2016-17.
• The Tea Board would be the nodal agency for the scheme and the cost will be shared between the Centre, the state governments and the growers in the ratio of 75:15:10.
• However, the growers would have to pick up the state government’s tab in case the government declines to contribute its share.
• The scheme aims to protect growers from anticipated losses in revenue caused by drop in international/domestic prices, yield loss due to adverse weather or pest attacks or any other reason beyond human control.
• The Tea Board, which has invited bids from insurance companies for the project, said there are 57,355 small growers in the targeted districts.
• During the pilot period, the scheme would benefit these growers, covering about 44,223.6 hectares of plantation area.
• Large growers can also join the scheme, but will have to pay the entire premium.
• The three regions where the scheme is proposed to be run as a pilot are Golaghat (Assam), Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) and Coonoor (Tamil Nadu) for the crop cycle of March to November for two consecutive years.
• The small tea growers, who are now an emerging force in the Indian tea industry (accounting for more than 35 % of the production), have suffered crop damage due to hale storms, excess rainfall and pest attacks.
• There has been a massive crop loss ranging between 30 and 50 % due to these factors.

G.K Pillai to be appoint as BCCI observer, Lodha panel : Sack 70-year-old cricket bosses – 23 Nov 16

Highlights:

• BCCI request to SC that it wants G.K. Pillai to be made BCCI ‘observer’.
• Former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha-led Supreme Court committee reiterated before the Supreme Court its recommendation to remove office-bearers who are 70 years old.
• Former Union Home Secretary G.K.Pillai’s services have been sought by the Lodha panel.
• The government ministers and those who have already served at the Board’s helm for nine years.
• The aim is to tight the leash on the powerful and the political among the administrators in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its member State associations.
• The Supreme Court had upheld its recommendations in a July 18, 2016, judgment, and the time had come to implement them so that work on reforming the Board could go ahead.
• The committee recommended that former Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai be made ‘observer’ to “guide”.
• He will act as administration by the chief executive officer, particularly with regard to the award of contracts, transparency norms, and audit for domestic, international and IPL cricket.
• The Lodha committee said Mr. Pillai, if appointed, should be allowed to appoint an auditor and the necessary secretarial staff.
• The panel sought the disqualification of BCCI office-bearers who are not Indian citizens.
• Those who hold any office or post in a sports or athletic association or federation apart from cricket can be debarred.
• Those declared insolvent or of unsound mind and administrators charged with a crime also not in the list
• Presently, several office-bearers at both the BCCI and the State associations continue to hold the posts, although they stand disqualified as per the order of the Supreme Court.
• On September 21, a Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur prima facie concluded that BCCI’s top administrators, including its president and BJP MP Anurag Thakur, were an impediment to the Committee’s efforts to reform Indian cricket.

The Cabinet Committee gives green signal to buy Dornier surveillance aircraft for Rs 2,500 crore – 24 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Cabinet Committee on Security gave its nod to buy 12 upgraded Dornier surveillance aircraft for Indian Navy at a cost of about Rs 2,500 crore.
• The proposal was first given Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) by the Defence Acquisition Council in October 2014.
• It has finally been approved by the CCS, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The aircraft will be manufactured by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Transport Aircraft Division (TAD) in Kanpur.
• The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)  have been produced over 120 of the type since 1984.
• Maritime surveillance and patrol variants of the Do-228 have been modified by HAL to cater for a host of equipment demanded by the navy including surveillance radar, FLIR (forward looking infrared), ESM (electronic support measures), satellite communications, data links, speech secrecy equipment, TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system) and EGPWS (enhanced ground proximity warning system), among others.

Ramdev to invest billions in Nepal, create 20,000 jobs – 24 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Yoga guru Ramdev will invest billions of rupees in Nepal to create 20,000 jobs in the country.
• Recently, he jointly inaugurated a new venture to produce organic medicine and other items.
• Ramdev inaugurated the new factory of his Patanjali Ayurveda Grama Udyog with Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari in Bara district in southern Nepal.
• The factory which was established with an initial capital investment of Rs 1.5 billion will be upgraded to Rs 5 billion in future and will produce organic medicine and other products.
• Ramdev has an interaction with officials and members of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
• Ramdev will invest billions of rupees in Nepal for producing ayurvedic products that would eventually generate employment for 20,000 Nepalese youths.
• Ramdev was accompanied by his close aid Acharya Balkrishna.
• Thousands of yoga enthusiasts from Nepal and India have assembled in Birgunj are have been preparing for a month for the event.

Secondary Market Regulator SEBI eases rules for angel funds – 24 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has liberalised norms for angel funds to invest in early-stage entities as part of its attempts to facilitate fund-raising for start-ups.
• The move is aimed at helping boost investment in the early stages for start-ups in the country
• The capital markets regulator also enhanced the scope of investment of foreign investors in unlisted debt securities.
• The board has decided to amend the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012.
• It was based on the recommendations received from the ‘Alternative Investment Policy Advisory Committee’.
• The committee was constituted under the chairmanship of N. R. Narayana Murthy.
• The regulator has increased the upper limit for number of angel investors in a scheme from forty nine to two hundred.
• Angel Funds will also be allowed to invest in start-ups incorporated within five years instead of the earlier norm of three years.
• The requirements of minimum investment amount by an angel fund in any venture capital undertaking has been reduced from Rs.50 lakh to Rs.25 lakh.
• Further, the lock-in requirements of investment made by angel funds in the venture capital undertaking has been reduced from three years to one year.
• Such funds have also been allowed to invest in overseas venture capital undertakings up to 25  % of their investible corpus in line with other Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).
• The regulatory watchdog has also permitted foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) – FIIs in common parlance – to invest in unlisted non-convertible debentures and securitised debt instruments of a public or private company based on the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
• Earlier, FIIs were allowed to invest in such securities only if it was issued by a company from the infrastructure sector.
• Such investments, however, will be subject to a minimum residual maturity of three years and end use-restriction on investment in real estate business, capital market and purchase of land.
• The regulator also clamped down on agreements between company management personnel and shareholders that assure a certain compensation or share in profits to the employee.
• SEBI has stated that all such agreements entered into during the last three years will have to be disclosed to the stock exchanges and companies will have to seek an approval from the public shareholders of the company.
• Presently, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) head office is located in Mumbai.

Black money: India to get Swiss bank a/c data from Sept 2018 onwards – 24 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India and Switzerland have signed a pact for automatic exchange of information.
• Switzerland Government agreed to automatic sharing of information with India on Swiss bank accounts of Indians as of September 2018 and onwards.
• They will not share details about accounts held prior to that period, while the first such exchange will happen in September 2019.
• The ‘Joint Declaration’ for implementation of AEOI signed between India and Switzerland provides that both countries will start collecting data in accordance with the global standards in 2018 and exchange it from 2019 onwards.
• Switzerland has conformed to the global standards on automatic exchange of information with the signing of the declaration.
• India has promised to safeguard the confidentiality of the data.
• It will now be possible for India to receive from September, 2019 onwards, the financial information of accounts held by Indian residents in Switzerland for 2018 and subsequent years, on an automatic basis.
• The Swiss Federal Department of Finance said in a statement that the signing of the joint declaration with India confirms Switzerland’s international commitment to implementing the automatic exchange of Information (AEOI) standard.
• Switzerland has always been at the centre of the debate on black money allegedly stashed by Indians abroad.
• It is used to be known for very strong secrecy walls till a few years ago around its banking practices.
• A huge global pressure has resulted in Switzerland relenting on the tough secrecy clauses its local laws gave to the banks.
• Several information requests on details about Indians who had accounts in Swiss banks are still pending.
• Today’s declaration, however, does not talk about exchange of information based on stolen data or pending requests from India.
• Following the government’s demonetisation of high value currency notes earlier this month as a crack down on domestic black money, some opposition parties have been demanding that the government take action to bring back the unaccounted Indian money stashed abroad, particularly in Swiss banks.
• The automatic exchange of information with India will be implemented based on the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (MCAA).
• The MCAA is based on the international standard for the exchange of information developed by the OECD.
• The Swiss Federal Council has authorised the Federal Department of Finance to conduct a consultation for the introduction of the AEOI with India and other countries.
• The Joint Declaration for implementing AEOI was signed by CBDT Chairman Sushil Chandra and Deputy Chief of Mission of Swiss Embassy Gilles Roduit here in India.
• Earlier,on June 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann at Geneva and discussed the need for expeditious exchange of information for combating tax evasion together with an early start to negotiations on the Agreement for Automatic Exchange of Information.
• As a follow up, Adhia and Switzerland’s State Secretary for International Financial Matters Jacques de Watteville met on June 15 and agreed to move towards an early agreement for the implementation of AEOI between the two countries.

Goldman forecasts dip in GDP growth to 6.8% in FY 2016-17 – 24 Nov 16

Highlight:

• According to Goldman Sachs , India’s GDP growth to 6.8 % this fiscal, down from 7.6 % last financial year, due to demonetisation.
• According to Goldman Sachs, post the ‘dramatic currency reform’ the liquidity shortage would be a significant constraint on domestic activity, which in turn would affect GDP growth.
• In the short term, the liquidity shortage appears likely to be a significant constraint on domestic activity.
• Eventually, the currency reform should help to move economic activity into formal channels, accelerate financial inclusion, and increase government revenue.
•  According to the report, the “large, young, lower-income” economies of India, Indonesia, and the Philippines have higher growth potential – in theory.
• But in practice, much will depend on domestic policy and the pace of economic reform.

The book on RSS leader, co-written by Modi, to be released – 24 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Gujarati edition of a book on the late RSS leader Lakshmanrao Madhavrao Inamdar, co-authored by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, released.
• The the book written jointly by Narendra Modi and (RSS leader) Rajabhai Nene on L M Inamdar, popularly known as “Vakilsaheb”.
• Senior RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani would be present for the function.
• Hindi edition of the book was published two years ago.
• L M Inamdar was born at Satara in Maharashtra.
• Inamdar was jailed for eight months during the freedom struggle.
• He became RSS pracharak in 1942 and handled various responsibilities in the saffron organisation. He is considered to be Modi’s mentor.

President Pranab Mukherjee to host a summit on child protection – 25 Nov 16

Highlights:

• President Pranab Mukherjee will host a summit of 30 Nobel laureates and global leaders here next month to discuss protection, education, safety and health of children.
• Many  prominent leaders  have confirmed participation in the Laureates and Leaders’ Summit for Children 2016 .
• They are Dalai Lama, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Princess Charlene of Monaco, Princess Hayat Bint al Hussein of Jordan and Nobel laureates including Jose Ramos Horta and Prof Yuan Lee, American economist Jeffrey Sachs and human rights activist Kerry Kennedy.
• Child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate for 2014 and founder of Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, is coordinating the event to be organised at Rashtrapati Bhavan on December 10 and 11.
• At the summit, a congregation of around 30 Nobel laureates and global leaders will convene under one roof to call for action in a unified voice, aimed at ensuring protection and well-being of children across the world.
• Nobel laureates and leaders set to attend the event include, apart from the Dalai Lama, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, former First Lady of Mozambique and Nelson Mandela’s widow Graca Machel, Nobel laureates Leymah Roberta Gbowee, Prof Robert Huber, Prof Carlo Rubbia and Tawakkol Karman, Jeremy England, representing the International Committee of the Red Cross which has won the Nobel Peace Prize thrice, and members of the National Dialogue Quartet of Tunisia, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015.

India has aided $10 million to drought-hit Mozambique – 25 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India has given Mozambique a financial assistance of $ 10 million heeding to a request by the African nation for help to deal with severe drought it was facing.
• India’s High Commissioner to Mozambique Rudra Gaurav Shresth handed over the amount to Mozambique’s Minister of Trade and Industry yesterday, primarily to purchase wheat.
• The gift from India for purchase of wheat is a gesture of solidarity for a country which we see as one of our most important future partners.
• The grant-in-aid was provided in response to a request from Mozambique, which has faced two consecutive years of drought leading to severe difficulties for its people.
• The Indian grant will help the Mozambique authorities to urgently purchase wheat from the international market, and thus help ensure availability of food for vulnerable sections of the Mozambique population.
• India and Mozambique have strong bilateral ties and the relations are on an upswing in the last few years.
• Mozambique is also home to nearly 20,000 people of Indian origin.
• Mozambique is also among India’s most important economic partners in Africa, and accounts for almost 25 % of India’s net foreign Direct Investment into Africa.
• Mozambique was the first country in mainland Africa that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited earlier this year.

Exchange of scrapped notes ends, deposit them in banks till December 30 – 25 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The central government has stoped over-the-counter exchange of high value notes, which were scrapped earlier this month.
• However, it also extended use of the Rs 500 note for some specific purposes up to December 15.
• It has been observed that over-the-counter exchange of old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations has shown a declining trend.
• It has further been felt that people may be encouraged and facilitated to deposit their old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in their bank accounts.
• This will encourage people who are still unbanked to open bank accounts.
• From November 25 onwards, old notes can only be deposited in banks until December 30.
• This is a defining hour in the checkered history of India.
• After 68 years totally wasted under the biggest & most heinous exploitation, misrule & mismanagement humanity has ever witnessed.
• The government had permitted various exemptions for certain transactions and activities, such as buying cooking gas cylinders and railway tickets, payments at government hospitals, pharmacies, toll plazas and petrol pumps where payment could be made through old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes up to November 24.
• It has now decided to extend the use of only the Rs 500 note for these transactions up to December 15. Use of the Rs 1,000 rupee note will not be allowed.
• People can also use old Rs 500 notes to pay school and college fees.
• These entities must be central, state government, municipality or local body schools or colleges.
• Old notes can also be used for pre-paid mobile top up to a limit of Rs 500.

India spotted second most unequal country in the world: Indian richest own more than half of the wealth – 25 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to a World wealth report, top one percent of the Indian population have more than half (58.4 %) of the wealth in the country.
• Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report of 2016 found that India is the world’s second most unequal country, after Russia.
• While Russia’s 74.5 % of the wealth is controlled by the richest 1 percent of the population, India stands at 58.4 percent.
• Thailand comes a close third with 58 %.
• The world, till the economic recession, was getting more equal but the trend got opposite after the crisis.
• Altogether the report said that wealth inequality was one of the biggest issues ‘in almost every part of the world’.
• The lower half of the global population collectively owns less than 1% of global wealth, while the richest 10 percent of adults own 89 percent of all wealth, with the top 1% accounting for half of all global assets.
• In terms of population, India and China have a huge gap in the report.
• China scored 43.8 % on the list.
• However, the report said, “Currently, an estimated 9% of adults globally are net debtors, which is without a doubt a worrying development.
• 80% of adults in India and Africa belong to the bottom half of the global wealth distribution.
• According to the report, property and other real assets dominate the personal wealth in the country is, and make up 86 percent of estimated household assets.
• Meanwhile, though the wealth in India has been increasing, it does not reach every part of the country and to everyone.
• Credit Suisse Research Institute produces a Global Wealth Report each year which is a source of information on global household wealth.
• According to the report, global wealth has risen by $3.5 trillion to $256 trillion, which represents an increase of 1.4%.
• The report predicted that by 2021, The global wealth will reach $334 trillion.

Mumbai among world’s top trending tourist spots for 2017 – 25 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According to a survey by Booking.com,the financial and entertainment capital of India Mumbai is likely to see an increase in domestic and international tourist flow.
• A new survey has found the city to be among the world’s top trending destinations for 2017.
• Mumbai has recorded increased volume of travel and higher than average growth in bookings, while moving up 10 places among the most searched destinations relative to last yearThe data experts at Booking.com analysed the top 300 destinations based on growth in search and bookings to find the most up-and-coming places to visit in 2017.
• Besides Mumbai, the other top trending destinations recorded are Reykjavik (Iceland), Cairns (Australia), Savannah (US), Puerto Rico, Kyoto (Japan) and Jericoacoara (Brazil).
• The survey revealed technology is fuelling a more demanding and impatient traveller.
• About 44 % of travellers already expect to be able to plan their holiday in a few simple taps of their smart phone and over half (52%) expect their use of travel apps to increase next year.
• The ‘bleisure’ (business & leisure) boom is well and truly underway.
• 2017 will see a further upswing not only in the blurring lines between leisure and business travel, but also in the value we attach to workplace travel opportunities.
• Of the 40 % of global travellers who journeyed for business this year, 46 % think they will travel even more for business in 2017.
• About 49 per cent of business travellers already extend their trips to further enjoy the destination, while three quarters (75%) intend to do so the same or more in the coming year.
• The new year promises to see travellers unleashing their inner explorer like never before.
• About 45 % plan to be more adventurous in their choice of destination, while 47 % would like to explore corners of the globe that none of their friends have been to.
• Over 56 % of travellers would like to do more independent travel in 2017, a trend more prevalent amongst those from Brazil, India, the US, China and Thailand.
• Top destinations where Indians can indulge their pioneering spirit include Indonesia, Turkey, New Zealand, Australia and the Philippines.

Fidel Castro, Cuba’s longtime revolutionary leader, dies at 90 – 26 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Cuba’s long-time revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died aged 90.
• Castro had faced more than 600 assassination attempts in his life period.
• Castro had turned over the reins to his younger brother Raul, who became President in 2008.
• He was at the helm when Russia and the U.S. went to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, after Russians used the island to train nuclear weapons on the U.S.
• President Obama made an official state visit to the island in Spring 2016, but never met face-to-face with Castro.
• Fidel Castro, the Cuban despot who famously proclaimed after his arrest in a failed coup attempt that history would absolve him.
• At the end, an elderly and infirm Fidel Castro was a whisper of the Marxist firebrand whose iron will and passionate determination bent the arc of destiny.
• Castro greets Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Havana in April 1989..
• Castro meets with Pope John Paul II on an airport tarmac in Havana in January 1998. It was the first papal visit to Cuba.
• Putin was the first Russian President to visit Cuba since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• Castro is helped by aides after he appeared to faint while giving a speech in Cotorro, Cuba, in June 2001.
• In July 200,Castro talks with Elian Gonzalez, the young boy who was the focus of a bitter international custody dispute a couple of years earlier.
• Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez visits an ailing Castro in September 2006.
• Guevara, Castro and Castro’s brother Raul organized a group of Cuban exiles that returned to Cuba in December 1956 and waged a guerrilla war against government troops.
• Castro lived long enough to see a historic thaw in relations between Cuba and the United States.
• The two nations re-established diplomatic relations in July 2015, and President Barack Obama visited the island this year.
• It was a bearded 32-year-old Castro and a small band of rough-looking revolutionaries who overthrew an unpopular dictator in 1959 and rode their jeeps and tanks into Havana, the nation’s capital.
• Cuba and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations on May 8, 1960, further eroding the relationship with the United States.
• Castro defied a hostile US policy that sought to topple him with a punishing trade embargo that started in 1962 and continued for the rest of his life.
• Castro also survived numerous assassination attempts by the CIA and anti-Castro exiles in the early 1960s.
• Castro occasionally allowed disenchanted Cubans to leave, with most going to the United States.
• More than 260,000 Cubans left in a US-organized airlift between 1965 and 1973.
• In 1980, Castro let another 125,000 leave in the chaotic Mariel boatlift.
• At other times, desperate Cubans fled the island nation in makeshift boats across the treacherous Straits of Florida.
• Thousands died from drowning or exposure to the brutal Caribbean sun.

Brief History:

• Castro was born August 13, 1926, in Oriente Province in eastern Cuba.
• His father, Angel, was a wealthy landowner originally from Spain.
• His mother, Lina, had been a maid to Angel’s first wife.
• Educated in private Jesuit schools, Castro went on to earn a law degree from the University of Havana in 1950 and became a practicing attorney, offering free legal services to the poor.
• In 1952, at the age of 25, he ran for the Cuban congress.
• On July 26, 1953, Castro led a group of about 150 rebels who attacked the Moncada military barracks in Santiago in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Batista.
• Most of the attackers were killed. Castro and a handful of others were captured.
• The attack made him famous throughout Cuba, but it also earned him a 15-year prison sentence.
• He was released in 1955 as part of an amnesty for political prisoners and lived in exile in the United States and Mexico.
• He organized a guerrilla group with brother Raul and Ernesto “Che” Guevara, an Argentine doctor-turned-revolutionary.
• They named themselves the July 26 Movement, after the date of the failed Moncada attack.
• In 1956, Castro and a few dozen rebels headed for Cuba aboard an old yacht called the Granma.
• Batista’s soldiers were waiting for them, and, again, most of Castro’s followers were killed.
• The Castro brothers, Guevara and a handful of other survivors fled into the Sierra Maestra mountains along the nation’s southeastern coast, where they waged their guerrilla campaign against Batista.
• Castro became Cuba’s prime minister in February 1959.
• His brother Raul was commander in chief of the armed forces.
• He was in exile after being released as part of a general amnesty for political prisoners in Cuba.
• Two years earlier, he and about 150 others staged an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the regime of Fulgencio Batista.
• His wife filed for divorce in 1954 and won custody of young Fidelito, as he was known.
• Castro is reported to have fathered 10 children with six women.

Airbnb signs MoU with SEWA to expand its network in rural areas – 26 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Leading community-driven hospitality company Airbnb has announced signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Self-Employed Women’s Association of India (SEWA).
• Through the partnership Airbnb will work with SEWA members to help them share their homes with Airbnb’s community of international and domestic guests, creating economic opportunities for women in rural areas and promoting tourism spend in parts of India that have not traditionally benefited from tourism and hospitality.
• As part of the partnership, Airbnb and SEWA will expand the network of Airbnb homes in rural areas through SEWA’s member network.
• The initiative will begin in Gujarat and eventually expand to other states that have a significant presence of SEWA members.
• It will train SEWA members on home sharing, hospitality and amenity standards, and responsible hosting practices.
• Airbnb will also help SEWA build a strong community of SEWA hosts who can learn from each other and constantly improve hosting standards.
• Together, both the companies will explore opportunities to create visibility and drive demand for the SEWA homes through joint partnerships with various State Governments, academic institutions, media partners and other civil society organizations.
• The partnership is an important step in Airbnb’s commitment to enable economic empowerment for female entrepreneurs and promote digital inclusion in rural areas.

National Milk Day is being observed on November 26,2016 – 26 Nov 16

Highlights: 

• The National Milk Day (NMD) was observed on 26 November is to mark birth anniversary Dr.Verghese Kurien.
• He is known as father of the White Revolution in India.
• This year it was 95th birth anniversary of Dr.Verghese Kurien and third edition of observance of the day since it was established in 2014.
• All dairy cooperatives across the country had conducted a mega activation in all markets across the country.
• The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets the Amul brand of milk and dairy products printed 150 million milk pouches with the National Milk Day logo featuring Dr. Kurien’s picture with the National Milk Day logo on it.
• The cocept of observing National Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in 2014 on the lines of World Milk Day (observed every year on June 1) under the aegis of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• The first NMD was observed on 26 November 2014 by all Indian diary sector majors including National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), IDA along with around 22 state level milk federations.

Brief History:

• Dr.Verghese Kurien was born on 26 November 1921 in Calicut, Kerala.
• He was a social entrepreneur who had started billion-litre idea-Operation Flood which was the world’s largest agricultural development programme.
• He was pioneer in starting co-operatives movement in dairy sector.
• He had founded around 30 cooperative institutions of excellence (like AMUL, GCMMF, IRMA, NDDB) which are owned, managed by farmers and run by professionals.
• He was founding chairman of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) and pioneer in establishment and success of the Amul brand of dairy products.
• He was awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1963, World Food Prize in 1989, Padma Shri in 1965, Padma Bhushan  in 1966, Padma Vibhushan in 1999 and Economic Times award for Corporate Excellence in 2001.
• He had died on 9 September 2012.
• At resent, India is the world’s largest milk producer.

Veteran journalist Dileep Padgaonkar passes away – 26 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Eminent Journalist and intellectual Dileep Padgaonkar passed away at the age of 72 in Pune, Maharashtra . He along with Prof. Radha Kumar and Information Commissioner Prof. M M Ansari were part of the three-member interlocutors team chosen by the Union Government in 2010 to design a road map for peace in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir.

Brief History:

• Dileep Padgaonkar Padgaonkar was born in Pune in 1944.
• He graduated from Fergusson College, Pune n political science.
• Before commencing an illustrious career in journalism he had received doctorate in humanities from Sorbonne University, France.
• He joined Times of India as its Paris correspondent.
• Since then had served paper in various capacities before he was appointed its Editor in 1988.
• He also served with the UNESCO in Paris and Bangkok from 1978 to 1986.
• In 2010, he was part of a three member team of interlocutors selected by Union Government to design a road map for peace in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir.
• He was honoured with the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest civilian distinction in April 2002 for his services to journalism.

Amitabh Kant Committee : Centre constitutes the committee to push cashless transactions – 26 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Union Government has constituted a new committee to form a strategy to expedite the process of transforming India into a cashless economy.
• The committee will be headed by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.
• It has been tasked with identifying various bottlenecks affecting access of digital payments.
• Terms of Reference of Committee identify and operationalise in the earliest possible time frame user-friendly digital payment options in all sectors of the economy.
• The committee is to identify various digital payment systems appropriate to different sectors of the economy and coordinate efforts to make them accessible.
• It will engage regularly with Central ministries, state governments, regulators, local bodies, district administration, trade and industry associations to promote adoption of digital payment systems.
• Estimate costs involved in various digital payments options and oversee implementation of measures to make such transactions between citizens and government cheaper than cash transactions.
• Implement an action plan on advocacy, awareness and hand-holding efforts among public-, micro-enterprises and other stakeholders.
• The committee was set up following a directive from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to back up the demonetisation move.
• The Union Government is working towards moving all government transactions to the cashless mode, through a new single window e-payment system that businesses or individuals can use to make payments to any central or state department.

The Constitution Day of India is being observed on 26th November – 26 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Samvidhan Diwas or the Constitution Day of India is being observed on 26th November to spread awareness of Indian Constitution.
• The Constitution of India was adopted on 26th November in 1949.
• It came into force on January 26, 1950.
• The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) is the nodal Ministry for the celebration of Constitution Day.
• On this occasion Prime Minister Narendra has released two books on Constitution ‘Making of Constitution’ and ‘New Version of Constitution of India‘.
• The Indian Constitution is a core legal document which has nearly 448 articles or provisions in 25 parts, 12 schedules.
• The key feature of the Constitution is separation of powers while keeping a check on each arm of the government.
• The Indian Constitution drafters had borrowed concepts and ideas from the Constitutions of UK, US, Germany, Ireland, Australia, Canada and Japan.
• In October 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared 26 November as Constitution Day as part of year-long nationwide celebrations of 125th birth Anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Constituent Assembly.

Hong Kong Open Super Series : Sindhu loses in final, ends runner-up – 27 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Silver-medallist P V Sindhu’s quest for a second successive women’s singles title ended in disappointment.
• She went down in straight games to Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying in the Hong Kong Open Super Series final in Hong Kong.
• The Indian lost 15-21 ,17-21 in a clash which lasted 41 minutes.
• It was sweet revenge for Tzu Ying, who had lost to Sindhu most recently in the Rio Olympic Games. She now leads 5-3 in the head-to-head record against the Indian.
• World No. 3 and fourth seed Tzu Ying was in command of the match from the first game itself and produced a near-perfect all-round performance to be ahead 18-11.
• She maintained the lead and grabbed the opening game without much of a trouble.
• The second game was fought on a more even keel with Sindhu stepping it up slightly but once again she struggled to match the pace and range of Tzu Ying’s stroke-play.
• Tzu Ying’s ability to retrieve almost everything that Sindhu threw at her stood out.
• The Taipei girl’s deft use of her wrist to control her shots was also admirable.

Central govt. moots cashless society for Odisha – 27 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Centre has asked the public sector banks including SBI to push for a cashless society and popularise use of debit cards in Odisha by taking assistance of Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK) and Common Service Centres (CSCs).
• The direction in this regard was issued by Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan who took stock of the situation in the wake of demonetisation.
• The focus in the meeting was on how SBI can take lead role in Odisha to set up a cashless society and widen scope of using plastic money.
• Banks should develop a user friendly e-wallet in mother tongue like Odiya.
• Pradhan pointed out that there were 6,916 common service centres windows and they existed in most of the gram panchyats.
• Pradhan called for utilising the CSC and NYK effectively to spread the message of digital literacy and financial inclusion in remote areas.
• As first step, the Railways and SBI jointly will make a begining by opening a digital literacy and financial inclusion centre at Bhubaneswar railway station.
• The same can be replicated in commercial hub of Cuttack.
• This apart, the digital literacy and financial inclusion centre should be established in petrol pump, post offices, railway stations, bus stands, labour contract mandi, port areas to sensitise daily customers.

Sachin Singh wins gold medal at the AIBA Youth World Championships – 27 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Indian boxer Sachin Singh won the gold medal at the AIBA (International Boxing Association) Youth World Championships in the 49 kg weight class.
• In the summit clash held at St Peterburg (Russia), Sachin Singh defeated Jorge Grinan of Cuba by 5-0 score.
• With this he became the third Indian boxer ever to win gold medal in the AIBA Youth World Championships.
• Others are Thokchom Nanao Singh (2008) and Vikas Krishan (2010).
• In this edition of AIBA tournament, India won with one gold medal and a bronze medal, marking improvement from the solitary bronze medal won in the 2014 edition.
• Naman Tanwar had to settle for a bronze medal after losing in the semifinal in the 91 kg category.

Noted Marathi author Anand Yadav passes away – 27 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Noted Marathi author Anand Yadav passed away in Pune at the age of 80.
• His autobiography novel ‘Zombi’ had won him prestigious Sahitya Akadmi award in 1991.
• It is based story of a young boy, his loving mother, his life of utter poverty, and his eagerness to receive education.
• Anand Yadav  was born on November 30, 1935 in Kagal village near Kolhapur district.
• During his illustrious literally career, he has penned around 40 books which comprise collection of essays, criticism, poems among others.
• He had written book ‘Santsurya Tukaram’ based on Sant Tukaram, a 17th century saint poet from Maharashtra.
• He was elected president of the 82nd Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Sammelan, the prestigious literary meet held in March 2009.
• Recently, famous Marathi movie Natrang (2010) was based on his novel with the same name.

IAS officer wins gold in Asian Para-Badminton Championships – 27 Nov 16

Highlights:

• IAS officer Suhas LY struck gold in the Asian Para-Badminton Championships being held in Beijing.
• He defeated Indonesian player Harry Susanto in straight sets by 21-4 and 21-11.
• Suhas is posted as the Azamgarh district magistrate.
• He got a wildcard entry to the championships and ensured his seat in the finals by winning six consecutive matches.
• The 2007 batch officer defeated Wang Hwan Sing of Korea in the semifinals.
• Suhas was part of the 26-member Indian team that landed in the Chinese capital to participate in the tournament. Besides Suhas, Abu Hubaida was another member from UP in the team.
• National Paralympics Committee of China hosted the championship.
• Players from India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, South Korea and several other countries participated.

Tata Steel replaces Cyrus Mistry as Chairman – 28 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Board of Tata Steel  voted to remove Cyrus Mistry as the Chairman of the company.
• The Board voted to appoint O.P. Bhatt, former Chairman of State Bank of India, as the Interim Chairman of the company.
• The company also stated that it has summoned an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on 21 December 2016 to remove Mistry and Nusli Wadia, who is an independent director, from the company’s board.
• Six Tata Group companies, namely Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Power, Tata Chemicals and Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), have convened EGMs to remove Mistry as Director from their respective boards.
• Recently, the Board of Tata Global Beverages had removed him as the Chairman of the company.
• Earlier, TCS had also replaced him with Ishaat Hussain as the Interim Chairman. On 24 October 2016, the Board of Tata Sons Ltd had replaced Mistry as Chairman of the India’s largest conglomerate.
• Tata Steel Limited is an Indian multinational steel-making company, and a subsidiary of the Tata Group.
• It was formerly known as Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited (TISCO).
• It is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It was founded by Jamshedji Tata and established by Dorabji Tata on 26 August 1907.
• It was the 11th largest steel producing company in the world in 2013.
• The company’s largest plant is located in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. In 2007, it acquired the UK-based steel maker Corus.
• In 2014, it was ranked 486th in the Fortune Global 500 ranking of the world’s biggest corporations.
• As per Brand Finance, it was the seventh most valuable Indian brand of 2013.

Lt General AK Bhatt appointed as new DGMO – 28 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The government has cleared the appointment of Lt-General A K Bhatt as the next director-general of military operations (DGMO)
• It is yet to announce the names of the next Army and IAF chiefs despite both General Dalbir Singh Suhag and Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha slated to retire on December 31.
• Lt-Gen Bhatt was commissioned into the Gorkha Rifles.
• He will take over the crucial DGMO appointment from Lt-General Ranbir Singh.
• He captured the popular imagination after he declared at a hurriedly-called press briefing by the external affairs ministry that Army Special Forces had conducted “surgical strikes” against terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on September 29.
• Lt-Gen Bhatt has earlier served in the military operations directorate as a brigadier.
• He is currently posted as the additional director general of the complaints and advisory board at the Army HQ here after he commanded the 21 Division in Assam.
• Lt-Gen Singh, in turn, will now head the 1 Corps (headquarters at Mathura), which is one of four “strike corps” among the 14 corps of the 1.3 million strong Army.
• He will replace Lt-Gen Shokin Chauhan, who in turn has been appointed as the director-general of Assam
• Eastern Army Command chief Lt-Gen Praveen Bakshi and IAF vice-chief Air Marshal B S Dhanoa are tipped to be the new chiefs.
• While the DGMO post is crucial, the command of a corps (each roughly has over 60,000 troops) is critical for a Lt-General to be consideredfor the next rank of an Army commander.
• Three of the strike corps, 1 Corps (Mathura), 2 Corps (Ambala) and 21 Corps (Bhopal) are geared towards Pakistan, the fourth is the new 17 Mountain Corps being raised as a deterrent against China. In all, the Army has 14 Corps under six operational or regional commands.

Supreme Court ordered to Sahara chief Subrata Roy to deposit Rs 600 crore by February 6 or surrender – 28 Nov 16

Highlights:

• India’s apex court has asked Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy to deposit Rs 600 crore more by February 6 next year in the SEBI-Sahara refund account to remain out of jail and cautioned him that in case of failure, he would have to return to prison.
• The high-level bench is comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri.
• The bench may consider appointing a “receiver” of properties if the group finds itself unable to sell them to pay back dues to the investors.
• If Sahara Group is unable to sell properties, then the court would be comfortable to appoint a receiver , so that it also did not want to keep a person in jail.
• The bench, initially, asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal o deposit Rs 1,000 crore with market regulator SEBI in two months or it will appoint a receiver, but later reduced the money to be deposited to Rs 600 crore till February 6, 2017 who is representing Roy.
• The group has deposited the money in pursuance of an earlier direction and filed a fresh re-payment plan to the court which asked senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for SEBI, and another senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, the amicus curiae, to file their response.
• The case is pending since 2012.
• It has a “history” and asked SEBI and the amicus curiae to respond to the question as to whether the group is entitled to any further benefit in its re-payment schedule.
• The group has assets to the tune of Rs 1.87 lakh crore.
•  But unable to pay the dues”, the bench observed and asked Sibal about the amount deposited by Roy after he came out of jail following the death of his mother.
• The Sahara Group has been deposited Rs 11,000-odd crore and around Rs 11,036 crore is remaining.
• As per SEBI, the dues are to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore.

Khalistani terrorist Harminder Mintoo had planned to flee to Germany – 28 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) chief Harminder Singh Mintoo was preparing to flee to Germany via Malaysia.
• He has planned and executed the Nabha Jail break.
• Khalistan Liberation Force chief Harminder Singh Mintoo being produced at Patiala House Court in New Delhi.
• Khalistan Liberation Front chief Harminder Mintoo+ , who along with five others escaped from Nabha jail in Punjab.
• Khalistani terrorist Harminder Mintoo was in touch with Pak-based terror groups, had planned to flee to Germany.
•  All arrangements had already been made for his travel.
• The intelligence agencies have also found that Mintoo was in touch with Pakistan-based terror outfits, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and senior officials of Pakistan army who look and supervise India specific operations.
• Mintoo knew several Khalistani terrorist leaders based in Germany and used to run his operations in Thailand with their help before he was caught in 2014.
• Mintoo’s plan was to flee to Goa from Delhi and then to Nepal after some time where he had lived for 18 years
• From Nepal, Mintoo had to go to Malaysia and then Germany.
• Investigators will try to find out the international hand in his escape plan since he was close to the ISI.
• Mintoo was using a fake Malaysian passport to travel around before his arrest in 2014,
• He had travelled to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar besides Thailand, where he had set up his base. He was reportedly using Thailand for mobilizing funds for banned pro-freedom Sikh groups.
• He was initially associated with Babbar Khalsa International.
• However, in 2009, he left the organisation and revived KLF.
• He used to visit Pakistan frequently and had the backing of ISI.

India ranked ninth in global race of supercomputers – 28 Nov 16

Highlights:

• According latest data, India has ranked 9th in global race of supercomputers.

What is a supercomputer ?

• Supercomputers are broadly defined as the fastest computing systems at any given time and are used for scientific purposes that require handling of troves of data at high speed.
• This includes testing mathematical models using thousands of variables to infer complex phenomena like weather, climate change, nuclear reactions, origin of the universe and so on.

How is the computing power of a supercomputer measured ?

• The standard unit to measure computational power is FLOPS- floating point operations per second.
• It is the number of mathematical operations involving fractions that a computer can do per second.
• For the most basic computers and smartphones, the computational ability is a few megaflops (more than a million operations per second).
• Chinese supercomputer Sunway TaihuLight – which is ranked the fastest in the world by Top500 (a supercomputer ranking project) – has a computational ability of 93 petaflops, more than a billion times faster than normal computers.
• Recently it was announced that Japan will spend $173 billion to build the world’s fastest supercomputer system with a capacity of 130 peta-flops.

What problems were faced by supercomputer pioneers who worked to enhance computer speed ?

• First, the maximum speed at which electronic signals can travel cannot be faster than the speed of light.
• Second, because of frequent receiving and transmission of these signals, it was important to have a suitable cooling technique to control the temperature of the system.
• Both barriers were tackled by decreasing the lengths these signals were required to traverse by using circuit boards and innovation in cooling techniques.
• Other advancements involved introduction of vector arithmetic in computing.

When was the world’s first supercomputer built ?

• In 1965, CDC 6600, a supercomputer designed by US engineer Seymour Cray was installed at the CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.
• CDC 6600 had a computational capacity of three mega flops. In the 1970s, the series CDC 7600 was introduced, which was 10 times faster than the earlier version.
• In 1976, the Cray-1 supercomputer was installed in the Los Alamos laboratory with a computation capacity of 160 mega flops.

What were the limitations of Cray’s designs?

• Cray’s designs used expensive technology and liquid immersion technology to achieve high speeds.
• W Daniel Hill, an MIT graduate proposed a decentralised control instead of one CPU, which meant several inexpensive processors could be arranged to achieve speeds comparable to the most expensive supercomputer designed by Cray.
• Hill designed the CM-1 in 1985, which used thousands of inexpensive processors to achieve the same speed as Cray’s computer.

Akodara becomes India’s first Digital Village – 29 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Akodara village in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat has earned the coveted tag of becoming India’s first digital village in India.
• The village with a total population of 1,191 people and 250 households uses a various cashless system for payments of goods and services.
• All transactions in the village are carried out through digital modes like SMS, net-banking or debit cards.
• The village was adopted by ICICI Bank under its Digital Village Project in 2015 and made cashless by adopting digital technology.
• The project was launched in January 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochar to mark 60-year-celebration of the ICICI group’s existence.
• All households in village have savings account in local ICICI Bank branch.
• The bank has provided training to villagers to embrace digital technology to reduce dependence on cash.
• The village has almost 100% financial rate and all mobile banking is done in Hindi, English and Gujarati languages.
• It also has its own official website.
• The villagers’ most important transactions selling agri-produce at the local market or mandi or selling milk at the co-operative society have been made cashless.
• It has primary, secondary and higher secondary schools equipped with smart boards, computers and tablets.
• This village has become prime example of how e-banking can be practically implemented in Indian villages without much difficulty to make India cashless economy.

N Chandrababu Naidu to head CMs Committee on Demonetisation – 29 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Union Government has decided to constitute a sub-committee of Chief Ministers of five states in the wake of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes.
• The committee will be headed by Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.
• It will  suggest measures to normalise the situation.
• The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has called up Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to be part of the committee.
• Since demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes was announced by the Union Government, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu government has been effectively tackling the cash crisis in the state.
• He has come up with several alternatives to encourage mobile and online transactions besides distributing small change at vegetable markets as an immediate relief to the people.
• As a long-term measure, Andhra Pradesh government has roped over 90 lakh members from co-operative sector in villages and towns to undertake statewide campaigns on online transactions.
• Under it, as many as 5,000 women are being trained as master trainers to train 90 lakh women.
• The state government is also designing a mechanism that makes ordinary phones do money transactions.
• The government will distribute such phones to families which do not have one.

Iranian film Daughter wins Golden Peacock award at 47 IFFI – 29 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Iranian film “Daughter” has won the coveted Golden Peacock award at the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
• It has been directed by Reza Mirkarimi.
• It is a family drama set in southern Iran.
• It brings out intergenerational conflict between a strict father and a young daughter.
• Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore conferred these awards during the concluding ceremony of IFFI held in Goa.
• Other Category Awards Special jury award: The Throne (South Korea) directed by Lee Joon-Ik.
• Best Actor Female award: Elina Vaska (Latvia) for Mellow Mud.
• Best Actor Male award: Farhad Aslani (Iran) for Daughter.
• Best Director award: Jointly-shared by Soner Caner and Baris Kaya for Turkish film “Rauf”. I
• CFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal Prize: Turkish director Mustafa Kara for his film “Cold of Kalandar”.
• Special Jury mention award: Tiffany Hsuig for the Korean movie “The Apology”.
• Centenary Award for the Best Debut Feature of the director: Pepa San Martin for the film “Ra Ra”.

PM Narendra Modi launches Indian Police at Your Call mobile app – 29 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently had launched the ‘Indian Police at Your Call’ mobile app at a national police conference held in Hyderabad. It was organised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
• The app is a GIS Map based interface for the citizens to locate police stations near to their current location so that they can easily reach the police station in case of emergency.
• The app was developed by Nation Information Centre (NIC).
• It has been developed on Android and iOS platforms.
• It was launched as part of the Digital India initiative aimed at the safety and security of the citizen anytime anywhere.
• The app provides the names of the police stations, distance from the place where you are and how much time it will take to reach police station one wants to go to.
• It provides the police station number, number of control room and also the SP office number. However, no mobile phones numbers are provided.
• It also promotes facility to “Tap to Call” any of these police stations and know the route and road distance to reach there.

Asia’s first cycle highway inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh – 29 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Recently, Asia’s first and longest  and first cycle highway was inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh.
• It is a 207-km-long cycle highway runs between Etawah and Agra.
• Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated the cycle highway.
• The cycle highway has been constructed by the UP public works department.
• It runs parallel to the main highway.
• It is about 7-feet-wide and is separated by a divider from main highway which ensures the safety of cyclists.
• The track begins from the lion safari in Etawah. Along its path it dots 92 villages across the two districts.
• It criss-crosses the natural beauty of the Chambal and Yamuna rivers.
• On its way it has tourist destinations like Naugava ka Quila, Raja Bhoj ki Haveli, and Bateshwarnath Temple.

Davis Cup title : Argentina created tennis history beat hosts Croatia – 30 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Argentina created tennis history as it fought back to beat hosts Croatia 3-2 and win the Davis Cup for the first time in a dramatic final in Zagreb.
• Croatia led 2-1 going into the final day and looked on course for their second title when Marin Cilic led Juan Martin del Potro by two sets to love.
• However, Del Potro staged a remarkable comeback to win 6-7 (4-7), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 in four hours 53 minutes.
• Federico Delbonis then swept past Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the decisive fifth contest to clinch victory.
• It is worth mentioning that Argentina has lost previous four Davis Cup finals.
• Therefore this incredible victory was sweeter for the Latin American country.

OPEC agreed to reduce its oil output by around 4.5% – 30 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has to reduce its oil output by around 4.5%.
• This is the first output cut for OPEC countries since the year 2008.
• OPEC  is one of the most powerful organisation of oil producing countries in the world.
• It has agreed to undertake a reduction in production by around 4.5%, or about 1.2 million barrels per day.
• This decision was taken on 30 November 2016 at its annual meeting in Vienna (Austria).
• The proposal to reduce production was put by OPEC member Algeria.
• This is the first reduction in oil production by OPEC countries since 2008 and is in line with an accord reached in Algiers in September 2016.
• Saudi Arabia would take a big hit and will contribute around 0.5 million barrels per day (bpd) by reducing output to 10.06 million bpd.
• On the other hand Iran would freeze output at close to current levels of 3.797 million bpd and other members would also cut production.
• OPEC accounts for nearly a third of global oil production.
• The decision to reduce production has been taken in an effort to prop up oil prices, which have halved since mid-2014.

What is OPEC ?

• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in Baghdad, Iraq, with the signing of an agreement in September 1960 by five countries namely Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
• They were to become the Founder Members of the Organization.
• These countries were later joined by Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), the United Arab Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), Gabon (1975) and Angola (2007).
• Ecuador suspended its membership in December 1992, but rejoined OPEC in October 2007.
• Indonesia suspended its membership in January 2009, reactivated it again in January 2016, but decided to suspend its membership once more at the 171st Meeting of the OPEC Conference on 30 November 2016. Gabon terminated its membership in January 1995.
• However, it rejoined the Organization in July 2016.
• Currently, the Organization has a total of 13 Member Countries.

Upma Chowdhary appointed the new Director of LBSNAA – 30 Nov 16

Highlights:

• The woman administrative officer was appointed the new Director of Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA).
• She became the first-ever woman to head this prestigious institution? –
• Upma Chowdhary, the 1983-batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, was appointed the new Director of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie.
• She thus became the first woman director to head LBSNAA.
• Her appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on 23 November 2016.
• LBSNAA is the premier training institution for the higher civil services in India.

High level committees on service providing and corporate insolvency -liquidation – 30 Nov 16

Highlights:  

• The Central Government has set up two high level committees formed by the newly constituted Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
• One committee is associated with service providers while the other committee pertains to corporate insolvency and liquidation.
• Mohandas Pai and Uday Kotak are heading these committees.
• Putting in place the operational framework for insolvency and bankruptcy law, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) during November 2016 formed two committees on service providers and corporate liquidation.
• The nine-member advisory committee on service providers is headed by educationist Mohandas Pai.
• Members of the panel on service providers include National Institute of Public Finance and Policy’s Professor Ajay N Shah, National Stock Exchange Vice-Chairman Ravi Narain, Sebi’s Executive Director J Ranganayakulu and senior lawyer Amarjit Singh Chandiok.
• On the other hand the panel on corporate insolvency and liquidation is chaired by noted banker Uday Kotak.
• Other members of this committee include BSE CEO Ashish kumar Chauhan, Credit Information Bureau Chairman M V Nair and Corporate and Economic Research Group Advisory’s Chairperson Omkar Goswami.
• The IBBI has been set up under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code that seeks to consolidate and amend laws relating to reorganisation as well as insolvency resolution of corporate persons, partnership firms and individuals in a time-bound manner.

Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa took over as the 16th Chief of the Pakistan Army – 30 Nov 16

Highlights:

• Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa  took over as the 16th Chief of the Pakistan Army by replacing Gen. Raheel Sharif.
• Gen. Sharif passed the baton of command to Gen Bajwa at a ceremony held in the Army Hockey Stadium in Rawalpindi.
• The command stick of the Pakistan Army is made of traditional Malacca Cane.
• Gen. Bajwa, a career infantry officer belonging to the Baloch Regiment.
• He was chosen as Pakistan’s next Chief of Army Staff and Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).
• He is the fourth officer from the infantry’s Baloch Regiment to become the army chief.